Lynx hang on to beat Liberty in WNBA Finals rematch as star Breanna Stewart is ruled out indefinitely

Yahoo

2 days ago

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart will be sidelined indefinitely due to a bone bruise in her right knee, coach Sandy Brondello confirmed Wednesday.
While the specifics of her injury are now known, it's unclear how long she'll be sidelined. Brondello did not have a timeline for Stewart's return, and the Liberty star was not available for the team's matchup with the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday.
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"We want to be smart with it," Brondello said before the game, via ESPN. "If we can get her back at the end of August, I think that's great. It's big-picture ... so when she's ready. But keep it fresh for the playoffs. I know she'll be back before then. How early she gets back before the end of the [regular] season, I don't know.'
Stewart went down in the opening minutes of the Liberty's matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.
She awkwardly pulled up and started walking around with the apparent non-contact injury. She made an immediate call to come out of the game and was ruled out at halftime. She hasn't played since.
For a long time, the nature of Stewart's injury was unclear. Initial imaging revealed the absence of a significant injury, which was a good sign. But Brondello said Monday that the team didn't actually know what part of Stewart's leg was hurt.
While there still isn't a timetable for her return, knowing the nature of the injury is a step in the right direction.
Stewart is averaging 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds this season. The two-time league MVP hadn't missed a game all year before this injury.
Lynx win WNBA Finals rematch
Without Stewart available, the Liberty simply couldn't keep up with the Lynx on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. The Lynx held on late to grab a 100-93 win to keep their lead in the league standings and improve to an incredible 15-1 on their home floor. They are now a perfect 5-0 following a loss this season, too.
After ending the first quarter all tied up, the Lynx closed the first half on a quick 7-0 burst to take a nine-point lead into the break. Star Napheesa Collier put up 19 points in the first 20 minutes alone, too, after shooting 7-of-10 from the field.
Though the Liberty kept it within single digits entering the final period, the Lynx opened the fourth quarter on an 8-3 burst to take control of the game right back. While the Liberty rattled off a huge 11-0 run of their own over a nearly two-minute span late in the quarter, which cut the game back to just four points, Collier sealed the win and responded perfectly.
She drove straight to the rim and converted a tough and-one layup to end their dry spell and seal the seven-point win.
Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 31 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter, and four rebounds in the loss. Isabelle Harrison added 15 points off the bench, and Marine Johannes finished with 14 points. The Liberty still hold the second best record in the league behind the Lynx, though they sit at 17-9 on the year and have now lost three straight — which is their longest losing skid of the season and their first such losing streak since the 2022 season.
Collier finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lynx. It was her fifth 30-point night of the season, which is tied for the most in the league, and her second-straight. Kayla McBride added 24 points, and Alanna Smith finished with 12 points. They shot 15-of-31 from behind the arc as a group, too. The win pushed the Lynx to 23-5 on the season.
While Stewart missed this contest, the two teams will square off in three straight games in mid-August. As long as she's able to make it back on the court by then, starting with the first matchup on Aug. 10, the mini series between last year's two WNBA Finals teams should be incredibly entertaining.