Liberty Keep Lead, Tie Finals in Game 2

The New York Liberty knotted up the 2024 WNBA Finals behind a strong two-way effort for Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.

Oct 13, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) and Minnesota Lynx forward Cecilia Zandalasini (9) fight for a loose ball in the second quarter during game two of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN -- The New York Liberty vanquished both the Minnesota Lynx and deja vu in Game 2 of the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Behind a dominant two-way showing from Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, the Liberty tied the best-of-five series at one game apiece with an 80-66 victory at Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon. Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points to lead all New Yorkers except Breanna Stewart, who was one ahead at 21 while setting a WNBA Finals single-game record with seven steals.

It was the first time she had earned a double-decade since July 6. On defense, she partly headlined the Liberty's final shutdown of Minnesota, one saw them keep the Lynx off the board over the final 3:40. For the time being, it's a strong, if not emotional, culmination of her season, one that has often been besieged by injury. The ailment has followed her into the postseason leading to some quick changes but she proved durable enough to last nearly 32 minutes of action.

Oct 13, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) and guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrate in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Lynx during game two of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Unlike Thursday's opener, the Liberty managed to keep a lasting lead, never trailing despite Minnesota inching as close as two at numerous points of the contest. While they lost homecourt advantage, the Liberty are back in the hunt for their first postseason championship and sit only two wins away from such a hoist.

Defense ruled the day after an offensive explosion in the opening period, as neither team reached 20 points over the final three. Sabrina Ionescu took only two shots from the field over the final half-hour of game time but she put in 12 on 5-of-7 in the first frame to help build a 31-21 advantage.

From there, New York staved off multiple Minnesota rallies that ate away at their lead that summitted at 17. In the final stretch, the Lynx once again used Courtney Williams' haunting presence to eat away at a deficit, as the veteran flirted with a triple-double at 15 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. But the Liberty put in the final dozen, having Leonie Fiebich serve a de facto dagger with an open triple for her only tallies of the contest.

That diverse final output saw four different players contribute to the dominant stretch, capped off by Jones intercepting a Williams pass and turning into into the final double, finishing the game with 14 points and nine rebounds. Appropriately, things tipped off with a Laney-Hamilton triple to give her the elusive 20.

Minnesota was outrebounded 34-27 in defeat and dropped only its second game in six meetings with the Liberty this season. Despite four fouls, Napheesa Collier paced the Lynx with 16 points (as well as half of the visitors' eight steals) on 7-of-12 from the field despite enduring foul trouble in the early portions of the second half.

Game 3 of the series will be staged on Wednesday night in Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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