Liberty rally late to exact some revenge on Lynx

Jonquel Jones had 21 points with 12 rebounds as the host New York Liberty exacted some revenge by storming past the Minnesota Lynx 76-67 on Tuesday in a clash between a pair of top teams.

The Liberty closed the game on a 15-2 run as the Lynx went 7:30 without a point in the fourth quarter.

The win pushed the Liberty to a WNBA-best 17-3 on the season, while extending their winning streak to five games. Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart each added 17 for New York.

Kayla McBride scored 17 points for the Lynx (14-5), who still own the best record in the Western Conference.

The game featured eight lead changes and eight ties.

It was a rematch of the Commissioners Cup championship game won by the Lynx 94-89 last week.

Both teams had big runs in the first half. The Liberty grabbed a 16-11 lead on a put-back by Jones with 3:40 left in the first quarter, but the Lynx responded with an 11-4 run to end the quarter highlighted by 3-pointers from McBride and Cecilia Zandalasini.

Minnesota carried the momentum into the second quarter putting together an 8-2 run capped by a fast break lay-up by Napheesa Collier to go ahead 30-24. A 3-pointer by Alanna Smith gave the Lynx a 35-28 advantage, their biggest of the first half.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton sank a 3-pointer from the wing, and Jones, followed by another 3-pointer with 2:01 left to push the Liberty ahead 40-39. McBride ended the Lynx drought with a 3-pointer for the last points of the half leaving the teams tied 42-42 at the break.

New York started the third quarter 1 of 9 from the field, while Minnesota grabbed a 51-44 lead after a Collier basket in the lane. Again the momentum changed as the Lynx's lead was cut to 59-58 after three quarters.

Minnesota led 65-61 with eight minutes left after McBride made a free throw on a technical foul called on Jones for shoving McBride.

--Field Level Media