WNBA Finals, Game 5: X-factors for winner-take-all Lynx vs. Liberty

The WNBA Finals is going the distance, and after four thrilling games, fans are getting what they want —  a decisive Game 5.
The Minnesota Lynx defeated the New York Liberty 82-80 in Game 4 on Friday to tie the championship series 2-2 and force a winner-take-all Game 5 on Sunday.
Although the Liberty had the chance to close out the series on the road, New York now has the opportunity to play for the Championship Trophy in front of their home crowd as the series shifts back to Brooklyn. (Expect Spike Lee to be sitting outside at Barclays Center.)
“We are going back to New York, and we’re going to get it done,” Liberty center Breanna Stewart said following the Game 4 loss. “We wanted to get it done tonight. But… our fans are like no other, and to be able to go into our environment on Sunday, know they have our backs.”
The Liberty are vying for the franchise’s first-ever championship, while Minnesota is looking for its fifth title and first since 2017. Here’s everything you need to know about Game 5 of the WNBA Finals:
WNBA FINALS GAME 4 WINNERS, LOSERS: Lynx and Liberty set for winner-take-all showdown
Game 5 of the WNBA championship series between the Liberty and Lynx will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Game 5 will be broadcast on ESPN with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call. The matchup can also be streamed on ESPN+ or the ESPN app, in addition to Fubo.
Game 5 is going to come down to the superstars. The Liberty will need a big game from Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. Stewart and Ionescu combined for 43 of the Liberty’s 80 points in Game 3, but the duo struggled in Game 4 and combined for only 21 points. Stewart was limited to 11 points (5-of-21 FG, 0-4 3PT) due to foul trouble, while Ionescu scored 10 points (5-of-15 FG, 0-of-5 3PT). New York will need their stars to do what they do best to hoist their first title.
The same can be said about Napheesa Collier. Collier has already put up the most points scored in a single postseason (263), surpassing Diana Taurasi’s 2009 point playoff performance (245). Collier’s defense has shined in the Finals —  recording 16 steals and seven blocks through the first four games of the WNBA Finals —  but the Lynx will need her to be effective on both sides of the ball to win.
Despite playing on the road in Minnesota, the Liberty are the favorites to win Game 5, according to BetMGM.
The Liberty are on the brink of their first championship. New York got close last year — the Liberty made it all the way to the 2023 WNBA Finals before losing to the Las Vegas Aces in four games. The Liberty have made WNBA Finals appearances in five prior seasons (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2023), but have come up empty-handed each time. Will 2024 be different?
The Lynx have four titles. In a span of seven years, the Lynx won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and made six Finals appearances, led by the group of Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles. The 2024 WNBA Finals marks the Lynx’s first championship appearance since their 2017 title.
BetMGM is the premier destination for sportsbook odds throughout the year.
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