The Liberty made their intentions clear at the end of the regular season: steal a game against the No. 1 overall seed Minnesota Lynx on the road and bring the series back to New York for a closeout game.
Step No. 1 is complete as the Liberty turned in one of the most consistent 40-minute performances this season in Sunday’s 91-75 first-round Game 1 victory.
The three-game series now shifts to New York for an elimination game with the Liberty on the verge of being the first WNBA eighth seed to take down a top overall seed.
The feat looked too tall to climb, but on Sunday, Chris DeMarco had Breanna Stewart — and Cheryl Reeve’s Lynx team didn’t.
Stewart, the Liberty’s MVP all season long, dominated on both ends of the court: 34 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.
She never took her foot off the gas, overwhelming the Lynx on straight line drives that accounted for easy finishes and shots at the free throw line.
While shooting 11-of-19 from the field, Stewart also made 10 of her 12 free throws in 38 minutes of action.
It was all too easy for Stewart, who paced her team from the start and served a dagger that essentially secured Game 1.
WIth the shot clock windin...