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Liberty Rebound vs. Lynx, Get Revenge In Minnesota

The New York Liberty avenged last week's loss in Brooklyn with a subtle yet suffocating offensive effort at Target Center.

Geoff Magliocchetti

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There's no place like ... road.

The New York Liberty won their sixth consecutive road game on Friday night, gaining revenge against the Minnesota Lynx with a 76-66 victory at Target Center. That victory, coming exactly a week after Minnesota stole a five-point win from Barclays Center, secures the Liberty's sixth consecutive road win, tying the franchise record streak previously set in 2016. They also secured their first winning seasons since 2017.

More history came from the arms of Sabrina Ionescu, who became the first player in WNBA history to sink at least six three-pointers in seven games in a single season. Her 18 points led the way for the Liberty (21-6), who also enjoyed matching 17-point outings for Betnijah Laney and Breanna Stewart. Jonquel Jones, fighting a minor ailment, also reached double figures with, ironically, 17 rebounds to go with 15 points.

Ionescu was held to only four attempts from the field in the first half but scored 12 of her 18 over the last 20 minutes, her points exclusively coming from a 6-of-11 output from beyond the arc.

But Friday was primarily a night of rebounding for the Liberty: not only did they take their revenge on the Lynx (13-15) but they overcame a sloppy first half of action to build a comfortable lead as closing time approached. In the final frame, where the Liberty protected a lead gained by a buzzer-beating triple from Ionescu to end the third period, New York hauled in 11 offensive rebounds, nearly half going to Jones with five. 

All but four of the Liberty's 18 points (while holding the Lynx to 10) were second-chance tallies, eight coming from the putbacks of Jones' cleanups. In other rebounding news, reserve Kayla Thornton also added to New York's historic hullaballoo, hauling in the 1,000th rebound of her career.   

Minnesota welcomed back homegrown franchise Napheesa Collier after a three-game absence but was missing rookie rebounding sensation Dorka Juhasz, who had 10 boards (six offensive) in the aforementioned win at Barclays Center. Collier led the way with 18 points but the Liberty held rookie sensation Diamond Miller in check to the tune of a 2-of-12 outing from the field, including a fully futile night on five triple attempts. New York and Minnesota, the latter currently placed seventh on the WNBA playoff bracket, will do battle one more time on Aug. 26 in Minneapolis.

The Liberty's next game will take center stage on the WNBA calendar, as they'll welcome in the defending champion and league-leading Las Vegas Aces on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, ABC).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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