The No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx crashed out of the 2026 WNBA playoffs in stunning fashion Tuesday, losing 87-71 to the No. 8 seed New York Liberty. The Liberty completed a two-game sweep in what was a rematch of the 2024 Finals. The Lynx are the first No. 1 seed in league history to lose a first-round series to a No. 8 seed.
The Lynx opened flat at home on Tuesday in Game 2, trailing 9-1 within five minutes. They fell behind by double digits within another five minutes. Minnesota worked its way back into contention at times, but never took the lead. The Liberty went on to win by a wide margin.
The Numbers Behind the Loss
As a group, the Lynx shot 38.2% from the field. Courtney Williams was the top scorer with 18 points, though she required 17 attempts to reach that total. Napheesa Collier reached 14 points on 14 shots. Olivia Miles, the unanimous Rookie of the Year, managed only five points on 1 of 8 shooting, and was taken out of the game in the middle of the third quarter after accidentally drawing an intentional flagrant foul on Breanna Stewart.
| Player | Points | Field Goals Attempted |
|---|---|---|
| Courtney Williams | 18 | 17 |
| Napheesa Collier | 14 | 14 |
| Olivia Miles | 5 | 8 |
The Liberty’s Big Three Carries the Day
The star trio from New York made their presence felt in a big way. Jonquel Jones led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Breanna Stewart was right behind her with 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. Sabrina Ionescu rounded out the group with 18 points and seven assists.
The Liberty’s Big Three showed up in a major way to ensure this series didn’t return to Minnesota.
A Stumble Down the Stretch
The Lynx ended with a record of 33-11, which secured the No. 1 seed for the second straight season. Despite stumbling down the stretch, they entered the playoffs as the favorites to take the championship. As before, though, they will be going home early.
The Sweep Completes the Rematch
Tuesday’s result completes a two-game sweep over a team they faced in last year’s Finals. The Liberty won both games, eliminating the top seed in the process.
What Comes Next for the Liberty
Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., will see Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, with New York facing either the Atlanta Dream or the Washington Mystics. The Dream currently sit ahead in that matchup with a 1-0 record.
The Statement Win
There was no accident here. The Liberty are a serious threat, and they backed up that claim by knocking out the top seed in the league. The series ended with a sweep, and now the story moves to Wednesday night in Washington, D.C.
Source material: “Lynx crash out of playoffs as Liberty become first No. 8 seed to down a No. 1 seed in WNBA playoff history,” CBS Sports.
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