Lynx Swept by Liberty, First No. 1 Seed to Lose Opening Series — SkimNews
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- Minnesota Lynx were swept in the first round by the New York Liberty, losing Game 2 87-71 at Barclays Center and becoming the first No. 1 seed in WNBA playoff history to be eliminated in an opening series.
- The consecutive losses marked the first time in franchise history the Lynx lost back-to-back playoff games by 15 or more points, after New York also won Game 1 comfortably.
- Coach Cheryl Reeve said Minnesota had "been maybe exceeding expectations in the regular season" across three years and acknowledged "we don't quite have the right group" for playoff success, adding "it's on me" in her dual role as coach and president of basketball operations.
- Reeve pointed to New York's size — including 6-foot-11 Han Xu off the bench — as the undoing of unanimous Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles and All-Star forward Natasha Howard, whom the Liberty "rendered ineffective."
- The Liberty's big three of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu scored or assisted on 70 points, compared with Minnesota's entire team total of 71 points.
- Napheesa Collier, who returned midseason after offseason ankle surgeries, will hit free agency and cannot be cored by the team, and has been noncommittal about staying in Minnesota beyond this year.
- Reeve became the winningest coach in WNBA history this season and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, having previously led the Lynx to four championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017).
Why it matters: The sweep exposes a structural ceiling for the Lynx: even a 31-7 regular season and a unanimous Rookie of the Year couldn't overcome a roster that Reeve herself says isn't built for playoff basketball. With Collier headed to free agency and her future with Minnesota unresolved, the franchise's championship window is suddenly a question of front-office execution rather than on-court talent.
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