Pregame article. Information current as of Sept. 29, 2026, before tip-off.
The league’s best regular-season team is one loss from going home. Lynx vs Liberty Game 2 tips Tuesday night at Barclays Center, and top-seeded Minnesota must beat the eighth-seeded New York Liberty to keep its title hopes alive after a 91-75 loss in Game 1.
Current Lynx vs Liberty Series Situation
New York leads the best-of-three series 1-0. The first round runs on a 1-1-1 format, with the better seed hosting Games 1 and 3. That is why the Liberty get their only home game of the series in Game 2. A Minnesota win forces a Game 3 in Minneapolis on Thursday, Oct. 1.
The seeds tell one story. Minnesota finished 33-11 and held the No. 1 seed by a single game over Golden State. New York went 26-18 in Chris DeMarco’s first season as head coach and claimed the final playoff spot. The history tells another. This is a 2024 Finals rematch, and New York won that series 3-2.
There is also a historical hurdle for the Liberty. According to NetsDaily, no eighth seed has ever beaten a No. 1 seed in a WNBA playoff series.
A 1-0 lead is not a safe one, and New York knows it. Last year the Liberty won Game 1 of their first-round series against Phoenix, then lost the next two.
What Happened in Game 1?
For about 20 minutes, Minnesota looked like the No. 1 seed. The Lynx won the second quarter 26-15, with Nia Brodie scoring 12 first-half points off the bench, and led 44-40 at halftime.
Then the game turned. New York opened the third quarter on an 11-2 run. The Liberty outscored Minnesota 51-31 after the break, including 25-16 in the fourth.
Breanna Stewart drove it. She scored 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting, with 12 rebounds, six assists and two blocks. Leonie Fiebich was the perfect complement. She finished with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three. As a team, New York hit 13 of 25 from deep.
Foul trouble hurt Minnesota most. Napheesa Collier and Natasha Howard both fouled out, which left the Lynx thin inside late. Stewart also went to the free-throw line 12 times. Rookie Olivia Miles, in her playoff debut, made just three of 12 shots.
One number is easy to miss. Minnesota won the turnover count 13 to 21, but New York still scored 24 points off its takeaways to Minnesota’s 18.
Why Lynx vs Liberty Game 2 Matters
The stakes are simple. A Liberty win ends the season of the league’s top seed. A Lynx win sends the series back to Target Center for a decider.
The winner moves on to a best-of-five semifinal. That round opens Oct. 4, and the best-of-seven WNBA Finals begin Oct. 17.
Key Players to Watch
Breanna Stewart, Liberty. She led New York in scoring this season at 20.8 points per game. She has hurt Minnesota all year. She scored 36 in the Liberty’s July 3 win over the Lynx.
Napheesa Collier, Lynx. Her minutes may decide this series. She missed the first two regular-season meetings, so she has had less time to solve Stewart. In Game 1 she scored 12 points on 6-of-14 shooting.
Olivia Miles, Lynx. She was the unanimous Rookie of the Year. She averaged 19.8 points and 6.0 assists. After Game 1, Cheryl Reeve described her performance with one word: “Learning.”
Jonquel Jones, Liberty. She was listed as questionable with a left ankle injury before Game 1 but was cleared to play. She logged 26 minutes.
Availability. Minnesota’s Anastasiia Olairi Kosu (foot) is out for Game 2. Emma Cechova is out for the season with a torn ACL, and New York’s Satou Sabally is also out for the year. Check the official injury report before tip-off, since statuses can change.
The Biggest Tactical Battle: Foul Discipline vs. Stewart
The matchup that matters most is not a player against a player. It is Minnesota’s defense against its own whistle.
The Lynx posted their worst defensive rating of the season against the Liberty. Game 1 showed why. When Minnesota sent extra help at Stewart, she found shooters. Two of Fiebich’s four made threes came off Stewart assists.
Aggressive defense also carries a cost against this opponent. The Liberty led the league in free-throw percentage at 84.5%. Every reach-in is close to a free point.
What Minnesota Needs to Do
Keep Collier and Howard on the floor in the fourth quarter. That is the first fix, and everything else builds on it.
The Lynx also need to cash in their pressure. They ranked second in the league in points off turnovers at 18 per game, while New York ranked last at 13.3. Forcing 21 turnovers and scoring only 18 points off them was a missed opportunity.
Miles needs cleaner looks, too. The Liberty tailored their game plan to her in Game 1, and she must show she can adjust.
What New York Needs to Do
The Liberty need to keep Stewart aggressive and keep the ball moving to open shooters. They also need to protect the ball better than they did in Game 1. Their turnover-driven offense was the weak spot in the regular-season profile, and Minnesota lives on those possessions.
Home court is not a huge edge on paper. New York went 14-8 at home during the regular season, while the Lynx won 18 of their 22 road games.
US Sports Media Analysis
This section is opinion and analysis, separate from the reporting above.
The 13-of-25 night is not pure luck. New York shot 34.8% from three during the regular season, so a repeat of 52% is unlikely. But some of those makes were created, not lucky. Stewart drew doubles and found teammates. If Minnesota keeps sending two at her, some of that shooting will come back. If it doesn’t, she will score over one defender instead.
Collier’s minutes are a double-edged issue. The Ringer noted that the Lynx rank in the bottom three in the league in points in the paint since Collier’s return. Minnesota needs her on the floor for spacing and rim protection, but her foul trouble limits how physical the Lynx can be with Stewart. There is no easy answer, which is why Reeve’s adjustments are the most interesting thing to watch.
The halftime lead is the best argument for Minnesota. A team that led at the break on the road-style hostile floor of a playoff game, and had the league’s best road record, can win in Brooklyn. Game 1 looked more like a bad second half than a broken team.
Our read: this is closer than the seeding gap and the 91-75 score suggest, and the deciding factor is fouls, not shooting.
Lynx vs Liberty Game 2: Date, Time and How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026
- Tip-off: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- TV: USA Network and CNBC
- Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday, Oct. 1, at Target Center in Minneapolis, with the time to be announced
What Happens Next?
If New York wins, the Liberty advance as the first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in a series, per NetsDaily, and open the semifinals on Oct. 4. If Minnesota wins, the season comes down to Thursday in Minneapolis.
Elsewhere on the bracket, Golden State opened its series with a 104-80 win over Dallas.
Minnesota knows the stakes. “It’s a series,” Lynx guard Kayla McBride said. Tuesday night will show whether the Lynx can prove her right.
