Liberty sweep top-seeded Lynx and move on in WNBA playoffs

The New York Liberty are through the first round of the WNBA playoffs. They beat the Minnesota Lynx 87-71 at Barclays Center on Tuesday, September 29, to complete a 2-0 sweep of the best-of-three series. New York entered as the No. 8 seed; Minnesota was No. 1.

The Liberty led 49-37 at halftime and did not need a late escape. Their 19-15 fourth quarter closed a game in which they shot 32-for-69 from the floor, compared with Minnesota's 26-for-68, according to the WNBA box score.

Breanna Stewart scored 21 points with five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Jonquel Jones matched her 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Those are different forms of control: Stewart contributed across the box score, while Jones gave New York a scoring and rebounding anchor inside.

The frontcourt drove the finish

Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points and seven assists. Her playmaking helped keep the offense from becoming a two-player proposition, and the Liberty converted all 13 of their free throws.

Minnesota had the better seed and home-court advantage entering the series, but New York won Game 1 on the road, 91-75, then finished the job in Brooklyn. The two-game margin matters because a best-of-three series leaves little room to recover from a road loss in the opener.

This is a significant upset by seed, not a guarantee about the next round. New York advances with Stewart, Jones and Ionescu all contributing to the closeout. The semifinal opponent and schedule should be checked against the official bracket when confirmed.