WNBA Finals, Game 4: X-factors for potential title clincher

The New York Liberty are one win away from their first WNBA championship.
The Liberty have Sabrina Ionescu’s late-game heroics to thank for that. It appeared that Game 3 of the WNBA Finals was headed to overtime before Ionescu hit a deep, logo 3 with 1 second remaining to give the Liberty an 80-77 victory over the Minnesota Lynx to take a 2-1 lead in the championship series.
LIVE UPDATES:New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx Game 4 scores, highlights
“I’ve practiced that shot a thousand times in my head, on the court, and I feel like that’s just something that as athletes, you put yourself in that position to want to be able to make a shot,” Ionescu said.
Big leads and bigger comebacks have been the story of the 2024 WNBA Finals so far. The Lynx overcame an 18-point deficit in Game 1 to steal a win from the Liberty. New York was able to hold off surging Minnesota in Game 2, after leading by as many as 17 points, but the roles were reversed in Game 3. The Lynx got off to a fast start and built a 15-point lead before the Liberty came back and ended the game in dramatic fashion.
Here’s everything you need to know about Game 4 of the WNBA Finals:
WNBA FINALS, GAME 1 RECAP: Lynx pull off 18-point comeback, down Liberty in OT
GAME 2: New York Liberty stars put on a show for college coaches
GAME 3: Winners, losers as Liberty move to brink of first title
Game 4 of the WNBA championship series between the Liberty and Lynx will begin at 8 p.m. ET Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Game 4 will be broadcast on ESPN with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call. The matchup can also be streamed on ESPN+ or the ESPN app, in addition to Fubo.
The Liberty need a monster game from forward Jonquel Jones to close out the series. Jones hit a key 3-pointer with 1:31 remaining in Game 3 to bring the Liberty within one point of the Lynx and Jones’ layup on the next possession gave the Liberty the lead, but the star of the show has been her defense. She finished with 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal Wednesday. If Jones can use her size to crash the boards and create extra possessions for the Liberty, New York will be on the verge of hoisting its first championship trophy.
Lynx guard Courtney Williams had a rough night in Game 3 on Wednesday, scoring 12 points while shooting 4-of-14 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. (She added five rebounds and eight assists.) Williams is a great facilitator, but the Lynx will need her to be aggressive and look for her shot to avoid elimination. The Lynx will also need Alanna Smith’s defense. Smith was limited to 20 minutes in Game 3 after appearing to injure her back in the first half, in addition to foul trouble, but the Lynx are significantly better with her on the floor. Minnesota outscored the Liberty by 20 points while Smith was in the game.
Despite playing on the road in Minnesota, the Liberty are the favorites to win Game 4, according to BetMGM.
The Liberty are on the brink of their first championship. New York got close last year — the Liberty made it all the way to the 2023 WNBA Finals before losing to the Las Vegas Aces in four games. The Liberty have made WNBA Finals appearances five prior seasons (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2023), but have come up empty-handed each time. Will 2024 be different?
The Lynx have four titles. In a span of seven years, the Lynx won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and made six Finals appearances, led by the group of Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles. The 2024 WNBA Finals marks the Lynx’s first championship appearance since their 2017 title.
BetMGM is the premier destination for sportsbook odds throughout the year.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside