Betnijah Laney-Hamilton Looms Large as Liberty Even WNBA Finals With Lynx

The New York Liberty are back in business.

After coughing up an 18-point lead and losing Game 1 of the WNBA Finals in overtime Thursday, New York evened its series with the Minnesota Lynx with a gritty 80-66 win in Game 2 at Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon.

The Liberty leaned on their superstars in Game 2, with Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu combining for 50 points, 25 rebounds and 11 assists. But the performance of versatile role player Betnijah Laney-Hamilton made all the difference Sunday. She scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, and her production will be key if the star-crossed Liberty are to win their first WNBA championship .

Laney-Hamilton underwent surgery on her right knee in July and subsequently missed nine games during the regular season. Even now, in the third round of the postseason, Laney-Hamilton is only permitted to play four- to five-minute spurts to preserve her knee strength. But her value to the Liberty shined through in Game 2.

“All of know she’s giving us whatever she’s got. They were going under on her, and she knocked that thing down with confidence,” Stewart said of a key fourth-quarter basket by Laney-Hamilton. “That’s what we’re used to. We know she can do this.”

Laney-Hamilton shot 4-for-6 from 3-point range and added two assists, two rebounds and a steal. She also recorded a team-high effective field goal percentage (shooting percentage accounting for the value of 3-point shots) of 71.4%.

On the defensive end, Laney-Hamilton helped hold Minnesota’s Kayla McBride and Bridget Carleton to eight points each. Lynx superstar forward Napheesa Collier was held to 16 points — well shy of her 25.2 average this postseason.

The Lynx tried to mount another late comeback, bringing the game within one possession and threatening to take a commanding series lead. But Laney-Hamilton buried a clutch 3-pointer that allowed the Liberty to pull away.

Laney-Hamilton’s significance to the rise of the New York Liberty cannot be understated. After the team drafted Ionescu in 2020, Laney-Hamilton was the team’s first big signing in ’21. Although New York still didn’t have a winning season that year, with a record of 12-20, it was a huge improvement from their 2-20 record in the Florida bubble the season before. The combo of Ionescu and Laney-Hamilton is the foundation of the current Liberty squad. There is no 2024 Liberty excellence without the culture the 2021 team built from the ground up .

This series is just getting started, and now the Liberty will pack up and head to Minnesota for two games. With the best road game record in the WNBA this season at 16-4, they are ready for the noise.

“We embrace it. We like it when it’s loud,” Stewart said of playing in hostile environments. “We like it when it’s difficult. Expecting that it’ll be an incredible atmosphere [in Minnesota].”

Although the Lynx earned a split in New York, the Liberty remain the more skilled team on paper. With every weapon in New York’s arsenal at its best, the Libs are virtually unstoppable. Having a healthy Laney-Hamitlon playing at the speed and composure she displayed in Game 2 will be key for the remainder of the series.

Related: WNBA Finals Preview: Liberty Favored but Lynx Are Tough Matchup

Related: Breanna Stewart Holds Key to New York Liberty’s First WNBA Championship