Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images
Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu were not to be denied.
The former was spectacular on Wednesday night, pacing her team with 30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in a crucial 80-77 win over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.
And Ionescu… well, she did this:
It was a brilliant night from the star duo, giving the Liberty a 2-1 lead in the series.
Fans and pundits couldn’t believe what they saw from the Liberty pair:
If the Lynx committed theft after stealing Game 1, they failed to lock their own house’s doors in Game 3.
From the 8:34 mark in the first quarter until there was just one minute and 31 seconds remaining in the game, the Lynx held the lead in front of their home crowd. It appeared the team would go up 2-1 in the series behind the efforts of Napheesa Collier (22 points, nine boards, five steals) and Kayla McBride (19 points, 5-of-9 from three).
But the Liberty showed resilience, finally taking the lead again on a Jonquel Jones three, before Ionescu—who had just seven points in the game before scoring six in the final minute alone—dropped one of her own to put the Liberty in the driver’s seat:
The Lynx would go on to tie it at 77 apiece with just 16 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Ionescu’s dramatic, brilliant and unforgettable finish.
This series has been remarkable, setting the stage for what should be an epic battle in Game 4 (Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN) as the Lynx look to keep their season alive. If Stewart and Ionescu are cooking, though, there might not be any stopping the Liberty.