Where to even start? Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty was an instant classic and one of the best games in league history, Finals or otherwise. There were big comebacks, incredible shotmaking, brutal mistakes, controversial reffing and overtime. At the end of it all, the Lynx stood victorious, 95-93.
So much happened over the final five minutes of regulation and overtime that it’s hard to even remember it all. As the dust settles, let’s take a look back at the craziest moments from the Lynx’s unbelievable win.
24.5 seconds left in regulation: Collier blocks Jones
In order to avoid a straight play-by-play, we’ll skip all the way ahead to the last 30 seconds and pick things up with the Liberty in possession and clinging to a three-point lead. They work the ball inside to Jonquel Jones, who had been dominant all game long, and she seems to have a sure bucket on the way. Instead, Napheesa Collier somehow manages to wriggle free of Jones and come up with a clutch block.
If Jones scores there, the Liberty go up by five and almost certainly hang on for the win. Instead, the possession ended in a shot clock violation.
Five seconds left in regulation: Williams’ four-point play
After getting the stop they needed, the Lynx had a chance to tie the game and went hunting for a 3-pointer. Their first attempt was a bit of a force by Courtney Williams, and it bounced out. The Liberty had been feasting on the glass all game long, but this time Alanna Smith came up with a game-saving offensive rebound.
Smith kicked it back out to Williams, who fired again and got fouled by Sabrina Ionescu in the process. Her shot caught nothing but net, and she buried the free throw to put the Lynx in front by one, 84-83. Just remarkable poise by Smith and Williams with time winding down, and a total lack of it from Ionescu.
Nine seconds left in regulation: A missed call
After calling a timeout to advance the ball, the Liberty had trouble getting it in bounds. Jones’ pass to Stewart was deflected by Collier, and a confused officiating crew called a jump ball. The replay clearly showed the ball hit Stewart’s foot last before going out of bounds, but out of bounds calls are no longer reviewed automatically. For some reason, the Lynx decided not to challenge, and so the jump ball stood.
0.8 seconds left in regulation: A missed free throw
Williams violated the jump ball on purpose so the Lynx could set up their defense, and Stewart went careening into the paint on the ensuing play. She didn’t get a call, but the Liberty did maintain possession with one second left. Again, they went to Stewart, and she managed to carve out some space under the basket and draw a foul on Collier with 0.8 seconds left.
While there were some initial complaints, it was certainly a foul on Collier, and a review confirmed that it happened before time expired. Stewart then stepped to the line and calmly made the first free throw to tie the game at 84-84, but stunningly missed the second to send the game to overtime. She was an 84.5% free throw shooter during the regular season.
1:38 — 0:48 in overtime: A barrage of buckets
There wasn’t much offense in the first few minutes of overtime, and we’ll jump ahead again to the final 98 seconds.
As the clock ticked under two minutes left in the extra frame, the Liberty still hadn’t scored. That’s when Jones stepped up and made a huge 3 to cut the deficit to one. Down on the other end, Williams responded with a 3 of her own to push the Lynx’s lead back up to four. Then Ionescu and Williams traded baskets, and after a mad 50 seconds, we were right back where we started: Lynx up four, 93-89.
28.5 seconds left in overtime: Jones with the steal and score
As time wound down in overtime, the Lynx were suddenly the team feeling the pressure. Williams threw a pass right to Ionescu, who converted a layup to cut the deficit to two and force a timeout. On the ensuing inbound play, Jones read the situation and jumped into the passing lane. She deflected the ball and went coast-to-coast for a layup to tie the game at 93-93.
20.3 seconds left in overtime: Another missed call
After Jones scored, the Lynx went to Williams, who got downhill and spotted a lane to the basket. Stewart, however, came over to erase her attempt. The ball appeared to hit Williams last on the way down, but the call on the floor was Lynx ball and the Liberty did not challenge.
8.8 seconds left in overtime: Collier comes up clutch
Collier has been the best player in the postseason, and she came up with a signature moment in overtime of Game 1. She caught the ball in the post and tried to get into her bag against Jones, but was running out of time and space. Eventually, following a series of fakes and spins, she put up an extremely difficult fadeaway jumper. It not only got over Jones’ outstretched arm, but nestled into the back of the net to put the Lynx up, 95-93.
0.00 seconds left in overtime: Stewart has another moment to forget
Overtime could have been avoided if Stewart made her second free throw, but she had a chance to redeem herself in the closing seconds of the extra frame. She managed to get Collier on her back and catch the inbounds pass all in one motion, and suddenly had a runway to the rim. The Lynx defense converged, but not before Stewart had extended her arm all the way to the rim. All she had to do at that point was lay it in, and there would be a second overtime. Instead, she missed the rim entirely, and the ball bounced off the backboard as time expired.
Stewart finished with 18 points on 6 of 21 from the field in a very tough showing.
