Liberty and Lynx set to tip off the WNBA Finals with history at stake

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx are looking to make history when the WNBA Finals tip off Thursday night.

The Liberty are looking for the franchise’s first championship while the Lynx are vying for a league-record fifth. They were the best teams during the regular season, finishing in the top spots in the standings.

New York is back in the finals for the second consecutive year and is hoping to erase the scar of losing to the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. Minnesota is making its first appearance in the championship round since 2017, when the team won its fourth title in a seven-year span.

The Lynx had a short turnaround after beating Connecticut in Game 5 on Tuesday night to advance.

“We need to come out and get the first punch,” Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot said Thursday at the team’s shootaround before Game 1.

New York lost two of the three regular-season meetings to Minnesota and the Commissioner’s Cup championship, but both teams have said that those games don’t really matter heading into the championship.

Unlike last season when New York had to go on the road for the first two games in Las Vegas and came back in an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series, the Liberty have homecourt advantage this time around. New York has had the second best attendance during the regular season with a loud spirited crowd backing them that has included celebrities Spike Lee, Jason Sudeikis and Alicia Keys.