Carleton freebies keep Lynx alive

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Bridget Carleton hit a pair of go-ahead free-throws with two seconds remaining as the Minnesota Lynx beat the New York Liberty, 82-80, to force a decisive Game 5 in the Women’s National Basketball Association Finals on Friday.

The victory on the Lynx’s home court at the Target Center knotted the best-of-five championship series at two games apiece, sending it to a winner-take-all showdown in New York on Sunday.

New York’s Sabrina Ionescu missed a potential game-winning three-pointer with seven-tenths of a second left in an intense duel that featured 14 lead changes, in which neither team led by more than six points.

New York’s Jonquel Jones led all scorers with 21 points and Leonie Fiebich added 19, but Liberty star Breanna Stewart was held to 11 points and Ionescu to 10.

Kayla McBride led the Lynx scoring with 19 points, Courtney Williams added 15 and Napheesa Collier had 14 for Minnesota, who are in the finals for the first time since 2017 as they chase a record fifth title.

Jones converted a three-point play with 1:10 to play to tie it at 80-80, driving for a layup, drawing a foul and converting the free-throw.

But with less than a minute to play, the Liberty came up empty on their next possession and the Lynx got their chance. Williams missed a jump shot but Carleton came up with the rebound and was fouled by Ionescu.

Now the Liberty will hope a return to New York will make for a breakthrough WNBA title, after they came up short in five prior championship series.