Anticipated Liberty-Lynx WNBA Finals replay threatened by injuries
The WNBA season is in full swing, and some of the most anticipated matchups are on the horizon. The Minnesota Lynx, currently leading the league with a 22-5 record, are set to face the New York Liberty on Wednesday at Target Center. However, injury concerns are casting a shadow over these upcoming games.
Breanna Stewart of the Liberty, who averaged an impressive 18.6 points per game in the WNBA Finals series, is still recovering from a right knee bone bruise and did not play in the recent game against the Lynx. No timeline for her return has been provided. New York's Nyara Sabally, who was heavily relied upon in the second half of Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, is also taking time off to recover from an unspecified knee discomfort. No timeline for her return has been given either.
The Liberty's roster is further depleted as Emma Meesseman, who was reportedly considering Minnesota as a potential landing spot before committing to New York, is expected to arrive in Brooklyn some time in August after receiving a visa.
The Lynx's path to the WNBA Finals includes a first-round matchup against the No. 8 seed Washington Mystics and a second-round series against the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream or fifth-seeded Seattle Storm. If the season ended today, the Lynx and Liberty would only meet each other in the WNBA Finals, now a best-of-seven series starting in 2025.
The Liberty, meanwhile, would need to get past the Las Vegas Aces in a 2-7 matchup and face off against the winner of No. 3 seed Phoenix Mercury and No. 6 seed Indiana Fever for a chance at a third consecutive WNBA Finals berth.
The initial scheduling of the 2024 WNBA Finals rematch was more than two months after Opening Day, with the rematch scheduled for an uncertain date in October. The first meeting between the two teams this season was a hard-fought contest, with the Lynx exploiting the Liberty's smaller frontcourt due to the absence of Stewart and Meesseman to secure a 100-93 victory.
Despite the injuries and scheduling uncertainties, both teams are eager to take the court and continue their battle for supremacy. Kennedy Burke of the Lynx is dealing with lower-body cramping and is day-to-day, while the Liberty are hoping for the return of Stewart and Meesseman as soon as possible. The upcoming matchups between these two teams are sure to be exciting, with both teams vying for position in the WNBA standings and a potential rematch in the Finals.
Sports analysts eagerly anticipate the upcoming matchups between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty in the WNBA, as these teams continue their intense rivalry. Despite Breanna Stewart's ongoing recovery from a knee injury and the absence of Nyara Sabally, both teams press on, with teams’ rosters reshuffling depending on the return of key players like Stewart and Emma Meesseman. The sports-analysis community will surely be watching closely as these two teams compete for position in the WNBA standings and potentially, another WNBA Finals berth.
