The WNBA Finals started off with a bang, as the Minnesota Lynx beat the New York Liberty 95-93 in overtime. The Liberty responded with an 80-66 win in Game 2. The series is now tied 1-1, and the Lynx are heading home in hopes of taking the 2-1 lead.
Both teams have their share of talented players, and any of these players can be game changers in the series. Here are the four players that could impact the rest of the series.
1.) Courtney Williams
Courtney Williams is a veteran looking to win her first championship. She was the eighth pick of the 2016 draft. She was selected by the Phoenix Mercury. She was traded to the Connecticut Sun shortly after. She played with the Sun before being traded to the Atlanta Dream, and in 2022, she returned to the Sun. After spending time with Chicago Sky in 2023, Williams signed with the Minnesota Lynx. She joined them on a two-year deal, hoping for more stability and for the possibility of staying with a team on a more long term basis. Williams has made an impact in her time with Minnesota. She averaged 11.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds in the regular season. So far in the playoffs, she averages 14.9 points, 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals. In Game 1 of the finals, Williams finished with 23 points. Before that, she had 24 points in the game that secured their spot in the finals. Williams and Minnesota beat her former team (Connecticut) 88-77.
Williams is close to winning a championship, and her contributions to the team will be critical to Minnesota’s win.
2.) Kayla McBride
Kayla McBride is another key player for the Lynx. She averaged 15.0 points in the regular season. The only Lynx player to average more was Napheesa Collier. McBride had a rough game in Game 2 of the finals, as she finished with eight points. She shot 33 percent from the field and from the 3-point line. Prior to that, McBride had a good showing in Game 1. She finished with 22 points. If Minnesota wants to win this series, they will need offense outside of what they get from Collier. McBride is the ideal player for that. She had a rough second game, but with the Lynx returning home, this is the prime opportunity to get back on track.
3.) Jonquel Jones
Jonquel Jones is no stranger to playing for contenders. She played for the Sun when they reached the finals in 2022. The Las Vegas Aces won that series. Jones joined the Liberty the following year, and they reached the finals. The Aces repeated that year. This year, the Liberty defeated the Aces to get to the finals for their third consecutive year. This is a chance to get their first title.
Jones averaged 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds during the regular season. This postseason, Jones averages 15.0 points and 8.9 rebounds.
Jones is a post presence, and when she plays well, New York is harder to stop. If they want to win this series, Jones has to be involved.
4.) Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was the hero in Game 2. She had 20 points in the game, and her spark is what helped the Liberty win by as many as they did. As someone who had knee surgery in July, Laney-Hamilton is back but is still getting into a flow.
Laney-Hamilton averages 5.9 points in the playoffs. That is what makes her performance in Game 2 special. When it comes to New York, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu are going to play their games. But will the supporting cast like Laney-Hamilton, Courtney Vandersloot and others do. If Laney-Hamilton can come in and knock down shots like she did in Game 2, she could be a factor in their championship win.
The finals resume on Wednesday. Game 3 could be the turning point of the series. Will any of these players be the deciding factor?
Players, Impact, Series, Talented, Game 3
#WNBAFinals #LynxvsLiberty #Game3 #Basketball