Sabrina Ionescu Shines as New York Liberty Upset Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of WNBA Finals

Game 3 of WNBA Finals

Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty are just one win away from securing the franchise's first WNBA championship after an exhilarating 80-77 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of the finals. This win gives the Liberty a 2-1 series lead.

The pivotal moment came with the score tied at 77 at Minneapolis's Target Center, when Liberty star Ionescu drained a stunning three-pointer from near the logo with just over two seconds left on the clock.

The game wasn’t without its challenges for the Liberty, who trailed at halftime, largely due to Lynx guard Kayla McBride's impressive first-half performance, where she scored 13 points. The Liberty rallied in the second half, propelled by Breanna Stewart's tenacity.

With about five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Liberty equalized at 66 after Stewart sank a three-pointer. The teams exchanged leads until Jonquel Jones' layup gave the Liberty a crucial edge. Ionescu then extended the lead with another three-pointer, making it 77-73 with under a minute to go.

However, the Lynx weren't done yet. Napheesa Collier tied the game at 77 with 16 seconds left, hitting two free throws. In the final seconds, Ionescu received the inbound pass and delivered the game-winning shot, completing a remarkable 15-point comeback—the third largest in WNBA Finals history.

Stewart led the Liberty with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks, while Ionescu contributed 13 points, six assists, and five rebounds. After the game, she humorously admitted she had to review the final play on video, saying, “I’ve practiced that shot a thousand times in my head… that’s just something that as athletes, you put yourself in that position to want to make a shot.” Ionescu later declared it the "biggest shot of my career and hopefully not the last."

Looking ahead, Game 4 is set for Friday at 8 p.m. ET in Minneapolis. Stewart acknowledged the significance of being one game away from their historic title but emphasized that the job isn’t finished: “We know they’ll give us their best shot, and so will we. The turnaround is quick, but we’ll be ready.”

On the Lynx side, Collier made history herself, scoring 22 points and bringing her postseason total to 249, surpassing Diana Taurasi’s record for the most points in a single WNBA postseason, originally set in 2009.

Sabrina Ionescu Shines as New York Liberty Upset Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of WNBA Finals