The New York Liberty secured a spot in the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs for the first time in eight years with a thrilling overtime victory over the Washington Mystics. Led by Breanna Stewart’s 27 points, the Liberty defeated the Mystics 90-85 on Tuesday night.
This win marks a significant milestone for New York, as they hadn’t won a playoff series since 2015. The Liberty will now face either the No. 3 Connecticut or sixth-seeded Minnesota in the semifinals, which are set to begin on Sunday. The final game of the Connecticut-Minnesota series will be played on Wednesday night to determine the Liberty’s next opponent.
New York had to fight hard to secure their advancement after initially losing an 11-point halftime lead. The game went into overtime, and the Liberty were able to build an 84-79 lead. However, the Mystics narrowed the gap to 86-85 with just 38 seconds left on the clock. Both teams committed turnovers, but the Liberty managed to hold on and secure the win.
Jonquel Jones contributed 19 points and 14 rebounds for the New York Liberty, while Natasha Cloud had a career-high 33 points for the Washington Mystics.
In the final seconds of regulation, both teams had opportunities to take the lead, but they were unable to convert. Natasha Cloud threw the ball away on an inbound pass, and Courtney Vandersloot’s attempt to get the ball to Breanna Stewart resulted in a turnover. The Mystics were unable to get off a shot before the clock expired.
The New York Liberty will now focus on preparing for the upcoming semifinals as they aim to continue their impressive playoff run.
