Finals reach decisive Game 5 for first time since 2019

WNBA

Lynx guard Courtney Williams, left, goes up to shoot as Liberty forward Breanna Stewart defends during the first half of Game 4 of a final playoff series Friday in Minneapolis. ABBIE PARR — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Doug Feinberg

The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS >> It’s fitting that a record-breaking season for the WNBA would come down to a winner-take-all Game 5 of its Finals.

For the first time since 2019, the league championship will go the distance. This one will be in New York on Sunday night.

The Minnesota Lynx staved off elimination with an 82-80 win over the New York Liberty on Friday night to force the fifth game.

“I think that, you know, for our team, we bounce back after a loss really, really well, and making sure that everybody is on the same page going forward,” Liberty star Breanna Stewart said. “In the playoffs, in a series, there’s going to be momentum shifts. There were momentum shifts in the game tonight. But mentally, understanding what’s our ultimate goal, how are things going right here.

“Like (coach) Sandy (Brondello) said in the locker room, we haven’t won anything yet; we haven’t lost anything yet. And we have the opportunity to do that Sunday.”

The first four games of the series have come down to the last few possessions and have included an overtime game and a last-second shot, which have led to record ratings. The first three games each had over a million viewers on average, with the audience growing for each contest. They also have had huge crowds in attendance.

History will be on the line for both teams Sunday. Minnesota stands one victory away from a record fifth WNBA title, which would break a tie with the Houston Comets and Seattle Storm. The Liberty are looking for their first title and have lost in the Finals five times. The team was one of the original eight franchises when the league began in 1997 and is the only one left of that group not to have won it all.

Since the league switched to a best-of-five format in 2005, seven other series have gone the distance. The home team has won five of those contests, including in 2019.

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve was involved in three straight Game 5s from 2015-17 with the Lynx. She won two of them. She also was an assistant with Detroit when the Shock split two decisive games in 2006-2007. “I don’t think about the other ones,” Reeve said. “I feel very blessed in my career to have a chance to been a part of so many. I haven’t won them all. ... What I’m thrilled about is that this group gets to experience the Game 5.”

New York had the best record in the regular season and earned the right to have the decisive game on its home court.

“That’s what we said we worked for all season long. Minnesota did what they needed to do here to tie it up, and now we go back home. We love playing in front of our home crowd,” Brondello said. “So it will definitely be another sellout, and it will definitely be loud. And we have to bring our A game.

“I have a lot of respect for Minnesota, don’t get me wrong. This is a really tough team. They play well. They compete. So we’ve got one more game, and we’re going to win on our home court.”