Watch: Lynx mount futile late run vs. Liberty in WNBA Finals Game 2

Courtney Vandersloot hit what looked like a dagger to give the New York Liberty a big lead in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. Then her flagrant foul opened the door for another late Minnesota Lynx comeback attempt.

Vandersloot's big bucket put the Liberty up 64-55 with just under nine minutes remaining in regulation, but on the other end of the court, she was called for a flagrant foul after stepping into Natisha Hiedeman's landing area on her three-point shot. The Lynx got three foul shots and the ball, with Hiedeman making two of them.

They didn't score on the subsequent possession, but star Napheesa Collier would subsequently force her fourth jump ball of the game, which led to a Kayla McBride three-pointer.

Finally, Collier sandwiched a turnaround jumper and a layup around two Jonquel Jones free throws to pull the Lynx to within two points, trailing 66-64 with 5:36 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Playing with four fouls, Collier nonetheless displayed her uncanny ability to get tie-ups. The Lynx may have taken the lead if Collier was just a little better at winning the jump balls she forced.

After Jones scored again, Courtney Williams hit a layup to cut the lead back to two points (68-66), but that would be the Lynx's last field goal of the game. The sudden scoring drought happened in large part due to Breanna Stewart's defense. The 2023 WNBA MVP stole the ball three times in the final five minutes, derailing Minnesota's comeback hopes.

Minnesota stole Game 1 with a furious comeback. After another big Game 2 comeback Sunday, Stewart made sure she was the only one stealing late in the game.