The New York Liberty captured their first WNBA championship in franchise history by outlasting the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in overtime of Sunday's decisive Game 5 of the league FInals.
After Breanna Stewart made two free throws with 5.2 seconds left in regulation to force extra time, the Liberty held the Lynx without a field goal during the additional five-minute period to claim the title that had eluded one of the WNBA's charter teams for the first 27 seasons of its existence.
New York had reached the Finals five times previously and was ousted in four games by the Las Vegas Aces in last year's championship round.
The Liberty, who finished the regular season with a league-best 32-8 record, did manage to prevail in this winner-take-all showdown despite the shooting struggles of its top two stars, Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.
Ionescu missed 18 of 19 field goal attempts while limited to five points, while Stewart went 4 of 15 on a night New York misfired on 21 of its 23 shots from 3-point range.
Stewart did pull down 15 rebounds while finishing with 13 points, however, and the Liberty got a big lift from Jonquel Jones as the All-Star center posted 17 points and six rebounds while being named WNBA Finals MVP.
Second-seeded Minnesota, seeking to become the first team to win five WNBA titles, got 22 points from Napheesa Collier and 21 from Kayla McBride. The Lynx failed to hold onto a 12-point second-quarter lead, however, and went 0 of 6 from the field in overtime to come up just short in their bid for a first championship since 2017.
Minnesota owned a 60-58 lead entering the final minute of regulation after Collier capped a 6-0 run with consecutive baskets. The Lynx came up empty on their next two possessions, though, before Stewart was fouled by Alanna Smith and knocked down both free throws to tie the contest.
After McBride missed a would-be game-winning 3-pointer just before the buzzer, the Liberty scored the first five points of overtime and never trailed thereafter.
Leonie Fiebich began extra time with a 3-pointer to put New York ahead, and Nyara Sabally later stole McBride's errant pass before converting a layup that extended the lead to 65-60 with 3:14 to go.
NBA: Tatum helps Celtics hold off Bucks to spoil Middleton's debut
Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 10 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Bucks 111-105 on Friday night in Khris Middleton's season debut for Milwaukee.
Jaylen Brown added 25 points as the Celtics made 17 3-pointers to earn their 10th victory in 11 games overall and third in as many meetings this season against the Bucks.
Damian Lillard finished with 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost two straight since winning a season-best seven in a row. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds on his 30th birthday.
Middleton had 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes after missing the Bucks’ first 21 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgeries.
Boston led 107-102 after a floater by Jrue Holiday when Brown was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt by Middleton, who hit all three free throws.
Two free throws by Holiday put Boston ahead 109-105. Antetokounmpo then turned it over, leading to a layup by Al Horford.
Young’s late 3 in OT keeps Hawks hot
Trae Young drilled a 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds left in overtime and the Atlanta Hawks held on for their sixth straight win, beating the slumping Los Angeles Lakers 134-132.
Young scored 31 points to offset a huge night by the Lakers' Big Two. LeBron James had 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds and Anthony Davis added 38 points, 10 boards and eight assists, but it wasn't enough to prevent Los Angeles from taking its third straight loss and seventh in nine games.
James had a chance to win it for the Lakers, but his long 3-pointer wasn’t close.
With the score tied at 119, the Hawks had the final possession of regulation. Young’s 3-pointer was blocked by Max Christie and James collided with Davis going for the loose ball, sending the 39-year-old to a knee in pain.
After hobbling to the bench, James was back on the court for overtime.
Led by De’Andre Hunter with 26 points and Bogdan Bogdanović with 20, Atlanta's reserves outscored their Lakers' counterparts 65-17.
Edwards lifts Wolves over Warriors
Anthony Edwards had 30 points and nine assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Golden State Warriors 107-90 the first of two games between the teams this weekend.
Stephen Curry returned for Golden State after sitting out a victory over Houston a night earlier resting his sore knees. He scored 23 points.
Curry's 3-pointer with 10:38 remaining cut it to 80-77, but the Warriors again struggled to take care of the ball and make key stops.
Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the T-Wolves, who stay in town to play again Sunday at Chase Center.
Draymond Green also played after missing Thursday because of tightness in his left calf. Green had 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists and picked up his seventh technical this season.
Minnesota has won the last five in the series and four straight at Chase Center since ending a 12-game losing streak on the Warriors' home floor.
Nuggets coach Malone concerned despite Jokic's best efforts
Michael Malone conceded he is worried by the Denver Nuggets' form after Thursday's 126-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, but could not propel Denver to victory, with the Nuggets now 11-9 for the season, having lost five of their last six games in the league.
Jokic's haul of 27 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists saw him move onto 139 career triple-doubles; he is now third on the all-time list, behind Oscar Robertson (181) and teammate Russell Westbrook (200), having surpassed Magic Johnson.
While Malone credited Jokic, he is concerned by his team's performances.
"We just got our butts kicked," Malone said.
"Obviously, I love Nikola, and I feel very fortunate to coach a player with his talent and he'll go down as one of the best to ever do it.
"I'm happy to hear that [he is third for triple-doubles], I really am. But I'm so much more concerned about our team right now and where we're at.
"It's not so much that we lost tonight. I knew coming in here would be a tall order. I just don't like how we lost and there is a big difference."
Malone is also wary of putting too much pressure on Jokic.
"We've all got to make sure we don't run him into the ground," he added.
Jokic said the achievement was not something he is too focused on right now.
He said: "It's something that you're probably going to look at after you finish your career.
"Right now, you don't even think about it. But it's a great thing. It's really nice."
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 28 points, as Cleveland improved to 13-1 at home for the season.
"That's a hard team to slow down," said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, who was particularly impressed with how his team dealt with Jokic despite the Serbian's high-scoring game.
"We made [Jokic] work, get his efficiency down.
"When Jokic kills you is when he has those 15, 17 assist games. Not that we wanted him to score whatever he scored, but you have to pick your poison.
"A lot of those points [Jokic scored] were in transition, and that's one of their elite attributes. We didn't do a great job there but we were better in the second half."
NBA: Cavaliers overcome Jokic's latest triple-double to beat Nuggets
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, Darius Garland added 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 13-1 at home on Thursday night with a 126-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets, who wasted a triple-double by Nikola Jokić.
The Cavs made a season-high 22 3-pointers and extended their streak of making at least 10 3s to a club record 28 games dating to last season.
Cleveland outscored Denver 66-18 from behind the arc.
Jokic had 27 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists, giving him his 139th career triple-double - one more than Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. Jokic only trails Oscar Robertson (181) and teammate Russell Westbrook (200) on the career list.
Caris LeVert added 21 points off the bench, Evan Mobley scored 20 and Jarrett Allen had 15 rebounds for Cleveland, which improved to 5-0 against Western Conference teams.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 24 points and Jamal Murray had 19 for the Nuggets.
Surging Mavs down hapless Wizards
Luka Dončić had 21 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and Kyrie Irving added 25 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to their sixth straight win, 137-101 over the Washington Wizards, who have lost 16 straight.
Washington tied a franchise record for consecutive defeats and fell to 2-18. It's the second straight season the Wizards have had a 16-game skid.
Dallas made 11 of its first 16 shots from 3-point range and finished 20 of 38 from beyond the arc.
Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 for the Wizards, who were without Kyle Kuzma (left rib sprain) and Corey Kispert (left ankle sprain).
It was the 78th triple-double for Doncic, moving him into a tie for seventh on the career list with Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden. Next on the list is Dallas coach Jason Kidd at 107.
It was only a six-point game near the end of the first quarter, but the Mavericks went on an 11-2 run that included a 3-pointer by Spencer Dinwiddie and two by Klay Thompson.
Anunoby, Towns lead Knicks
OG Anunoby scored 15 of his 25 points during a third quarter in which he also blocked consecutive 3-point shots on opposite sides of the floor, helping the New York Knicks pull away to beat the Charlotte Hornets 125-101.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 16 rebounds in the Knicks' fourth straight victory. Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his 24 points in the first quarter.
Anunoby's scoring broke open what was a one-point game early in the second half, and his back-to-back blocks late in the third had fans chanting “OG! OG!” after a 28-6 spurt gave New York a 93-70 advantage.
Brandon Miller scored 26 points in the Hornets' seventh straight loss.
New York’s Precious Achiuwa made his season debut after missing the first 21 games with a strained left hamstring.
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