Breanna Stewart delivered a masterclass on Sunday, pouring in 34 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the eighth-seeded New York Liberty to a stunning 91-75 road upset of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series.
Stewart, the two-time league MVP, filled every column of the box score with six assists, two steals and two blocks. She shot 11-for-18 from the field and 10-for-12 from the free-throw line in 38 minutes, dominating on both ends while longtime friend and former college teammate Napheesa Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, drew the primary defensive assignment on her.
Leonie Fiebich provided crucial support with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three, and eight rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu added 13 points and six assists, while Janelle Jones and Pauline Astier contributed eight and seven points respectively, with Astier dishing five assists.
New York controlled the glass with a 45-29 rebounding advantage and shot a blistering 52% from beyond the arc (13-of-25) compared to Minnesota's 34.6% (9-of-26). The Liberty also forced 19 turnovers from the Lynx.
Minnesota's frustration showed as both Collier and All-Star center Natasha Howard fouled out. Nia Brodie led the Lynx with 16 points off the bench in 19 minutes, and Kayla McBride scored 14 points but struggled from deep, going 0-for-5 on her first five three-point attempts before finally connecting. Star rookie Olivia Miles had a subdued postseason debut, finishing with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting with just one assist.
Stewart, who recently helped the United States capture a fifth consecutive FIBA Women's World Cup title, now owns the second-highest postseason scoring average in WNBA history. She fell just two points shy of the Liberty franchise playoff scoring record.
The Liberty can sweep the series Tuesday in New York. Minnesota, which has never recovered from a Game 1 loss in a best-of-three series — going 0-3 all-time and 0-2 under coach Cheryl Reeve — faces elimination.
Aces Roll Behind Wilson's MVP Display
In the other first-round matchup, A'ja Wilson matched a career playoff high with 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots as the third-seeded Las Vegas Aces cruised to a 102-85 victory over the sixth-seeded Indiana Fever.
Wilson, named AP WNBA Player of the Year for an unprecedented third consecutive time earlier on Sunday, shot 15-of-19 from the floor in a dominant performance. Jackie Young added 21 points and 10 assists, while Chelsea Gray contributed 14 points and eight assists, moving past Courtney Vandersloot into second place all-time with 397 career playoff assists.
Aliyah Boston led Indiana with 18 points and eight rebounds despite playing through a lower leg injury. Caitlin Clark had 15 points and 10 assists, while Kelsey Mitchell — fresh off a record-setting 27-game streak with 20 or more points — was held to 12 on 4-of-16 shooting.
The Fever host Game 2 on Tuesday, needing a win to stay alive and force a decisive Game 3 in Las Vegas.
Sources
- https://wtop.com/sports/2026/09/stewarts-34-points-lifts-liberty-over-top-seeded-lynx-in-game-1-upset/
- https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/2026-wnba-playoffs-aja-wilson-scores-38-to-lead-aces-blowout-over-fever-in-game-1-of-first-round-series-221941156.html
