Liberty crush top-seeded Lynx in Game 1 stunner

MINNEAPOLIS — The eighth-seeded Liberty set out on a challenge that no team has accomplished since the playoff format changed.The job, as Jonquel Jones put it, was “to make history.” Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.No top seed has failed to make it out of the first round since the WNBA changed its playoff format in 2022. But the Liberty are one win away from changing that after beating the Lynx 91-75 in Game 1 of the first-round series Sunday. It wouldn’t be right to say the Liberty “stole” this game.

The Lynx all but handed it away. Never mind the fact that it was Olivia Miles’ first WNBA playoff game, a nerve-wracking debut for even the most level-headed players.But Kayla McBride wasn’t converting for deep.

Napheesa Collier and Natasha Howard had four fouls apiece by the 8:33 mark of the third.And yet, the Liberty still struggled to pull away, allowing the Lynx to hang around.The Liberty led by only five points entering the fourth quarter. Then, with a struggling Sabrina Ionescu on the bench, the Liberty started to crawl away and hush what had been a rowdy Target Center crowd. Breanna Stewart’s 3 with 4:07 left took the life out of the building as fans headed for the exit.Stewart, as she has all season, was incredible, finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Leonie Fiebich chose a great game to erupt on offense.She scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half and went 4-for-5 from deep.One of the biggest challenges the Liberty faced heading into this series was slowing Miles. New York’s defense seemed to create a blueprint for doing so earlier this month in the Liberty’s 12-point win on Sept.

18, with Fiebich, Pauline Astier and Rebekah Gardners taking turns hounding her. The Liberty followed a similar tactic Sunday, picking her up well beyond half-court.They closed off driving lanes to the basket, too, m...