A new WNBA champion is on the horizon.
There will be no three-peat this season, as the Las Vegas Aces fell in the semifinals to the New York Liberty three games to one.
Joining the Liberty on the ultimate stage is the Minnesota Lynx, which ultimately topped the Connecticut Sun in a winner-take-all Game 5.
With the stage now set between New York and Minnesota, here's everything to know about the 2024 WNBA Finals, from key players, how to watch and more:
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Have the New York Liberty ever won the WNBA championship?
Starting with finals history, it may be surprising to hear New York has never won the WNBA title, going 0-5 all time. It made the 2023 finals but lost to Las Vegas in four games, and also reached the stage in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002.
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
Have the Minnesota Lynx ever won the WNBA championship?
On the opposite side, the Lynx have won four WNBA titles, all coming within the same decade. Minnesota first lifted the title in 2011 and most recently did so in 2017. The other two wins came in 2013 and 2015, a coincidental odd-year stretch.
Who are the New York Liberty's best players?
New York is led by the star-studded duo of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. Stewart is the do-it-all forward who can get her own shot from all levels of the floor while being a switchable defender. The 30-year-old has won two titles (2018, 2020) with the Seattle Storm and claimed Finals MVP in both, so she'll have to pioneer New York to its first ever triumph.
Ionescu, 26, is the sharpshooting guard who can take over games once she picks up momentum. She's averaging a whopping 49/47/95 shooting split in the postseason and could add to her already impressive resume with a title.
Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich are also averaging double-digit points as starters, while Courtney Vandersloot plays important reserve minutes.
Who are the Minnesota Lynx's best players?
While New York has Stewart and Ionescu sharing the starpower burden, Minnesota is predominantly propelled by do-it-all star Napheesa Collier, the current Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Star has been a solo menace in the postseason, averaging over 27 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks with a 53/44/90 shooting split.
Collier's supporting cast includes Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith, with Natisha Hiedeman and Myisha Hines-Allen the primary reserve options.
Liberty vs. Lynx head-to-head 2024 games
The Liberty and Lynx met three times in the regular season, with Minnesota winning the series 2-1. Here's how the results went:
- May 25: Lynx 84, Liberty 67 in Minnesota
- July 2: Liberty 76, Lynx 67 in New York
- Sept. 15: Lynx 88, Liberty 79 in New York
The most recent affair saw Stewart explode for 38 points, while Ionescu was the only other double-digit scorer at 13 points. Minnesota, however, had five total players eclipse double-digit figures, led by Carleton's 19 and Collier's 18.
What is the WNBA Finals schedule?
The 2024 WNBA Finals is a best-of-five series. Here's how it will go down:
- Thursday, Oct. 10: Game 1, Minnesota at New York
- Sunday, Oct. 13: Game 2, Minnesota at New York
- Wednesday, Oct. 16: Game 3, New York at Minnesota
- *-Friday, Oct. 18: Game 4, Game 3, New York at Minnesota
- *-Sunday, Oct. 20: Game 5, Minnesota at New York
How to watch the Liberty vs. Lynx WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals between New York and Minnesota will air on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, with games available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
