Liberty oust top-seeded Lynx to reach second round of WNBA playoffs in historic upset

Many had doubted what the Liberty would be capable of doing this postseason after a rocky season. 

But those in the locker room never questioned their potential. 

The Liberty set out to make history. 

On Tuesday, New York delivered a momentous performance witnesses won’t soon forget. 

The Liberty captured an 87-71 win to sweep the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx 2-0 in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. New York became the first No. 8 seed to send the No. 1 team home. Doing it against one of the franchise’s biggest rivals makes the accomplishment all the sweeter. 

“It feels good,” Jonquel Jones said. “We’re not listening to outside noise. We understand that we can do a lot of great things … We feel we can play anybody and we can beat anybody, and that’s the mindset that we have moving forward.” 

Sabrina Ionescu celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer during the Liberty’s series-clinching win over the Lynx on Sept. 29, 2026 at Barclays Center. Michelle Farsi for New York Post

A year after getting spanked in front of their home crowd in Game 2 only to be eliminated on the road the next game, the Liberty avoided making the same disastrous mistake. They took care of business and played arguably their best game of the season to advance to the semifinals for the third time in four years. 

It was obvious from the first quarter that the Liberty weren’t going to go down without a fight. There was the attention to detail and communication on defense, the assertiveness on offense and the relentless pursuit for extra possessions. 

Breanna Stewart, Jones and Sabrina Ionescu set the tone. Everyone followed suit. 

Jones scored the Liberty’s first seven points and finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds. 

Ionescu played her best game in months. She made four of her 10 shots from beyond the arc and recorded 18 points, four rebounds and seven assists. 

Breanna Stewart (30) is all smiles after a play during the Liberty’s series-clinching win over the Lynx. Michelle Farsi for New York Post

Stewart, the team’s steady captain, played the entire 40 minutes and had 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. 

The Liberty’s core trio scored or assisted on 70 points, while the Lynx collectively managed only 71. 

New York never trailed. 

Ionescu said Tuesday was “absolutely” the best they played all season. 

“[It’s] not just get by but get better because there’s bigger goals that we have to accomplish,” Ionescu said. “I feel like tonight we continue to take steps in the right direction, and obviously our best basketball is yet to come, and I think that’s something that we all believe in.” 

New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones (35) reacts to getting shot up against Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier (24). Michelle Farsi for NY Post

For most of the season, first-year coach Chris DeMarco talked about building toward the postseason. Peaking too soon is a fear some teams have. The Liberty felt like they did that a year ago. There’s an argument to be made that the Lynx did it this time. 

The Liberty opened the season with a 13-12 record. At times, they looked disjointed and out of sorts. 

Something changed after the All-Star break, though the players can’t pinpoint an exact moment. 

“People were saying we’re supposed to be contending for a championship and this and we’re sucking,” Stewart said. “There always comes a moment in a season where it’s like, be who you are … We are an eight seed even though we don’t feel like it, and we need to be that. And we have to have that chip on our shoulder.” 

Very few pundits picked the Liberty to beat the Lynx in the first round. 

But New York happily proved them all wrong. 

The New York Liberty sweep the Minnesota Lynx during Round 1 Game 2 of the WNBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Michelle Farsi for NY Post

The Liberty went to Minnesota and silenced a rowdy Target Center crowd with a 91-75 win Sunday. Then, they slammed the door on the Lynx. 

The Liberty seem to be putting it all together at the right time. 

“This was a tough year for us with injuries and a lot of other stuff going on, and I feel like we’ve been trending in the right direction for a while now,” DeMarco said. “And it doesn’t always show up in the wins and losses, but we’re ready to play and we knew we had to be at our best at the end of September and October. I think we are right now.” 

New York will play the winner of the Atlanta Dream-Washington Mystics series, which the Dream lead 1-0.