It wasn’t the route we expected, but here we are. The New York Liberty are in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, and they hope they have a deep playoff run in them. The talent is there. The desire is there. But will the results be there? We’re about to find out.
If they want to make it far, they’ll have to make it through the best team in the WNBA. The Minnesota Lynx have been spectacular and feel like this is the year they finally break through. They’ve been the one seed in back-to-back years and enter the postseason with a lot of confidence and revenge on their minds.
Game Info & Broadcast Details
- Matchup: No. 8 New York Liberty (26-18) at No. 1 Minnesota Lynx (33-11)
- Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Time: 2 PM EST (1 PM CT)
- Venue: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)
- TV/Streaming: ABC/ESPN
- Series Format: Best-of-3 (Game 1 at MIN, Game 2 at NY, Game 3 at MIN if necessary)
Liberty vs. Lynx Injury Report: Who’s Out?
Liberty injury status:
- Questionable – Jonquel Jones (left ankle)
Lynx injury status:
- Out – Anastasiia Olairi Kosu (right foot)
Head-to-Head (NY Won 2-1)
- July 3, 2026: New York 99, Minnesota 86 (Barclays Center)
- July 11, 2026: Minnesota 90, New York 85 (Target Center)
- Sept. 18, 2026: New York 93, Minnesota 81 (Target Center)
NetsDaily’s Lucas Kaplan joined an All-Star panel featuring Myles Ehrlich, Maddie Kenney, and Dexter Henry to break down the full tactical breakdown.
Breanna Stewart vs. Napheesa Collier
If the Liberty want to win, it’ll take Breanna Stewart playing at a superstar level to drag them to the finish line. Carrying momentum from her MVP performance at the FIBA World Cup into WNBA action, Stewart has been getting to the rim, living at the free throw line, and cut excessive three-pointers out of her shot diet.
This series will be won in the half-court, and she is one of the very best at getting her own shot and making the most out of a tough situation.
Conversely, Napheesa Collier continues working back to peak conditioning. Her overall production remains strong, and her efficiency inside three feet sits at 63% — a high mark overall (which is also her lowest since 2021.). In a series decided on thin margins, minor drops in interior finishing can shift momentum.
Rebounding will be absolutely essential in this matchup. The Liberty won the WNBA Finals in part because they were able to use their size to muscle the Lynx on the inside. That plan becomes more complicated now that Jonquel Jones enters this series at less than full strength. More than likely, JJ will be out there and her presence will make a big difference. But if she doesn’t play up to her Finals MVP standard, Natasha Howard and the other Lynx could neutralize the advantage JJ has.
It’s been a bad season for Sabrina Ionescu, but one great game can turn things around. She’s never lacking for confidence and that will be essential here. Her three point shooting hasn’t been up to standard, and that can’t happen when Kayla McBride is on the other side. K-Mac is one of the game’s greatest shooters and is the quickest draw in the land. Any Liberty lapses on defenses or cold stretches on offenses will be fatal against a Lynx team that has revenge on their mind.
Player to Watch: Olivia Miles
Calf strains terrify me. Olivia Miles was dealing with one and sat out the final two games of the regular season as a result. She’s not on the injury report so hopefully everything is good to go.
That said, she has been absolutely sensational this season. The young guard has taken the basketball world by storm and has been one of the coolest people going. She can score from anywhere on the court, makes spellbinding passes every time she’s on the court, and has extended this Lynx title window for many more years to come. As Miles makes her postseason debut, she’ll do her best to manage the nerves that come with a debut while hoping to get back to speed after being out of action for a week.
How Can NY make things tough on Miles?
Making her playoff debut: Pauline Astier! The rookie French guard has been a revelation for New York this season and been one of their best finishers at the rim. She’s given the Liberty a new dimension and as she makes her playoff debut, will do her best to build on her successful regular season.
On defense, she’ll be one of the many Liberty defenders assigned to Miles. In the last matchup, New York annoyed Miles by picking her up a LOT earlier on the court than what she’s used to. Over at Yahoo Sports, Nekias Duncan broke it down:
“Look no further than the most recent matchup between the Lynx and Liberty, where the mixture of Leonie Fiebich, Pauline Astier and Rebekah Gardner took turns hounding Miles well beyond half-court. It’s not that Miles is incapable of beating that type of aggression; she certainly has the speed, handle and elite blend of driving juice and playmaking gumption to beat it.
But that kind of ball pressure and length can just … weigh on you. Miles finished that game with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists – not bad, until you add in that she went 5-of-18 from the field and also turned the ball over five times.”
Also of note: Fiebich on Miles specifically is a cross-match worth monitoring. Assuming Breanna Stewart gets the Napheesa Collier matchup, the Liberty will be empowered to switch any Miles-Collier actions. Having to deal with the collective size of Fiebich and Jonquel Jones, if you want to get Natasha Howard involved as a screener, isn’t fun either. During their regular season meetings, the Lynx generated only 0.8 points per possession on trips featuring a Miles-Howard pick-and-roll.
Postseason is all about adjustments, so we’ll see how Miles does against a dialed in Liberty defense.
From the Vault
Game 3 — Liberty defeat the Lynx in 2024. Bet this gets referenced a lot.
More reading: Canis Hoopus, Zone Coverage, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, SB Nation, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Local W, New York Daily News, No Cap Space, New York Post, Newsday, The Athletic, NY Liberty Fan TV, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Winsidr, The Stomp, The Post Presence, Her Hoop Stats, Yahoo Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, and The IX Basketball.
