The New York Liberty are set to compete in the WNBA Finals for the second consecutive year after defeating the back-to-back champion Las Vegas Aces in four games during the semifinal series. The Liberty will face the Minnesota Lynx, who return to the finals for the first time since 2017 after overcoming the Connecticut Sun in five games.
The Liberty have made five previous appearances in the WNBA Finals but are still seeking their first championship. In contrast, the Lynx are aiming to reclaim their past glory; they won four WNBA titles between 2011 and 2017 and made six Finals appearances during that period.
Game 1 of the WNBA Finals will take place on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It will be broadcast on ESPN, featuring Ryan Ruocco as the play-by-play announcer, with Rebecca Lobo as the analyst and Holly Rowe reporting from the sidelines. Viewers can also stream the game on ESPN+ or the ESPN App, as well as on Fubo.
In their head-to-head matchups this season, the Lynx have won two of the three games against the Liberty, with the last meeting occurring on September 15, where Minnesota secured an 88-79 victory at Barclays Center.
In the Liberty’s journey to the Finals:
– In the first round against the No. 8 seed Dream, they won two games to none.
– In the semifinals against the No. 4 seed Aces, the Liberty advanced after winning three games to one.
The Lynx also had a successful playoff run:
– They defeated the No. 7 seed Phoenix Mercury in the first round, winning two games to none.
– In the semifinals, they overcome the No. 3 seed Connecticut Sun in a hard-fought series that went the distance, ultimately winning three games to two.
The Liberty are still in pursuit of their first WNBA title, having come close last year when they reached the Finals but lost to the Aces. The Lynx, boasting four championships, aim to return to their former dominance after their last title in 2017.
BetMGM currently lists the Liberty as the favorites to win the Finals, with odds of -300, while the Lynx are at +240.
The full schedule for the WNBA Finals is as follows:
– Game 1: Thursday, Oct. 10, Lynx at Liberty, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
– Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 13, Lynx at Liberty, 3 p.m. (ABC)
– Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 16, Liberty at Lynx, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
– Game 4*: Friday, Oct. 18, Liberty at Lynx, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
– Game 5*: Sunday, Oct. 20, Lynx at Liberty, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
(* – if necessary; all times Eastern)