Jul 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) shoots the ball while defended by Minnesota Lynx forward Natasha Howard (1) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
The game after you win a trophy can be a bit of a letdown. Everyone’s feeling good and coming down off the high of a big time victory, especially at home. You have to be careful to avoid a letdown and you have to make sure you’re focused on the opponent in front of you. Fortunately for the New York Liberty, one of their biggest rivals was waiting on the other side tonight.
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On Friday night, the New York Liberty resumed regular season play against the Minnesota Lynx. These teams have been going back and forth in recent seasons and had one of the best postseason series in basketball history when they squared off in the 2024 WNBA Finals. Minnesota entered this game with the league’s best record and are expecting all world superstar Naphessa Collier to return soon.
The story early on was New York’s success getting to the inside. The Liberty scored 18 points in the paint in the first quarter as they were able to consistently create advantages on offense.
Breanna Stewart scored 16 of her season high 36 points in the first quarter as she set the tone for the evening. It was another virtuoso performance for the All Star starter, and a performance like this left her teammates in awe.
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“It’s amazing,” Jonquel Jones said. “You want to find ways to keep her going and to keep the game going in that way, but it’s amazing. I’ve seen her do it a number of times now, and every time I’m just sitting, sitting back in awe of, you know, of the player that she is.”
In the second quarter, Lynx rookie sensation Olivia Miles got cooking. After only scoring two points in the first quarter, Miles starting making her way through the Liberty interior defense. Her ten second quarter points got the Lynx back into the game and wowed a sold out Barclays Center crowd.
New York was able to build a 10-point lead entering halftime. The Lynx continued to fight and got the lead down to single digits on a few occasions, but the Liberty did more than enough to keep the WNBA’s best team at bay.
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It started with their defense on Miles. The superstar only went 5-16 from the field in her 26 minutes of game time and did not attempt a single free throw. It was a total team effort and a sign of the improvements the team is making on defense.
“We’re starting to build the right chemistry, know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Chris DeMarco said. “Communication is there, JJ’s quarterbacking behind the defense. Stewie and Leo as a tandem, their ability to switch. We’re just really connected right now…”
The Lynx kept it to a few possessions in the fourth quarter, but were never able to truly break through as the Liberty kept the lead in double digits as they pushed to the finish line. All five Liberty starters scored in double digits and they held a high powered Lynx offense to just 40 percent shooting from the field. That’s a great way to spend a Friday night as we head in to the holiday weekend.
Final score: New York Liberty 99, Minnesota Lynx 86
At 13-8, the Liberty sit in fourth place in the standings and are starting to put some good outings together. Things are looking good, but they have an issue they still need to fix.
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We want Laney!
One player who did not appear tonight was fan favorite and Liberty icon, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Laney-Hamilton has been working her way back to full strength following an injury absence, but the results haven’t appeared as of yet. She hasn’t appeared in the past two games, and Liberty fans are starting to feel frustrated.
Throughout the game, there were loud “We Want Laney!” chants from the sold out Barclays Center crowd. In postgame, Chris DeMarco was asked about Bee’s DNP and her role on the team
It’s a tough situation for the Liberty. They are starting to put wins together, but their franchise icon hasn’t been able to contribute on the court. Laney-Hamilton means a lot not just to the team, but to the city of New York as well. They’ll have to figure out a way to incorporate her into the rotation and put her in position to succeed. She means too much for them to do otherwise.
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Next up
The Liberty get a few days off before they host the Dallas Wings on July 7. Tip after 8 p.m. ET.
