Lynx Secure Game 5 Of WNBA Finals Against Liberty With Late Free Throws From Bridget Carleton

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Bridget Carleton's crucial free throws with just 2 seconds left secured an 82-80 win for the Minnesota Lynx against the New York Liberty. This victory forced a decisive Game 5 in the WNBA Finals. Carleton grabbed a rebound from Courtney Williams' missed shot and was fouled by Sabrina Ionescu, allowing her to score the winning points. Ionescu's last-second three-point attempt missed, sealing the game for Minnesota.

Kayla McBride contributed significantly with 19 points, while Williams added 15 points and seven assists. The Lynx, seeded second, tied the series at 2-2, pushing it back to New York for the final game on Sunday. Their win also prevented the top-seeded Liberty from clinching their first WNBA championship. The Lynx effectively contained New York's stars, Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, who both struggled with their shooting.

Stewart had a challenging night, scoring only 11 points on 5-of-21 shooting but managed to secure 11 rebounds. Ionescu was limited to 10 points with a shooting performance of 5-of-15. Together, they failed to make any of their nine three-point attempts. Jonquel Jones led New York with an impressive performance, scoring 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds.

The game remained tightly contested throughout, with neither team leading by more than six points. The Lynx gained an edge at 80-75 following McBride's three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining. However, the Liberty responded as Ionescu made a layup and Jones completed a three-point play after being fouled on a successful shot from Stewart's pass.

New York had opportunities to regain control but missed three shots during their next possession. A shot-clock violation then returned possession to Minnesota with just over 18 seconds left in the game.

The series now heads back to New York for what promises to be an intense final showdown. Both teams will be eager to claim victory in this closely matched contest that has kept fans on edge throughout its duration.