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WNBA World Reacts to Lynx's Exciting OT Win Over Liberty in Game 1 of Finals

The Lynx overcame an 18-point deficit to win in overtime.

Madison Williams

Minnesota Lynx's Napheesa Collier makes the game-winning basket over New York Liberty's Jonquel Jones in the WNBA Finals.
Minnesota Lynx's Napheesa Collier makes the game-winning basket over New York Liberty's Jonquel Jones in the WNBA Finals. / Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images
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Game 1 of the WNBA Finals gave us more than we anticipated for the matchup between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty.

The Lynx overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half and nearly won in regulation before Napheesa Collier fouled Breanna Stewart's last second attempt to win the game. Stewart got two free throws, but only made one in order to force overtime.

Overtime was a back-and-forth battle, but Collier became the hero as she scored with eight seconds left in the game. The Liberty couldn't answer the basket, and the Lynx won 95–93. It's now tied for the biggest comeback win in WNBA Finals history.

The intense ending of the game had everyone on the edges of their seats, especially since most of the first half and beginning of the second half looked like the Liberty would run away with a Game 1 victory.

WNBA and NBA stars chimed in on social media to express their heightened emotions during the game.

Game 2 is Sunday afternoon.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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