Jonquel Jones' 21 and 13 Finish the Liberty's Sweep of the No. 1 Lynx

Photo: WNBA.com. Official Jonquel Jones headshot, New York Liberty.

Jonquel Jones finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds as the No. 8 New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx 87-71 at Barclays Center, sweeping the first-round series 2-0 and making Minnesota the first No. 1 seed in WNBA playoff history to get swept in an opening series, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

Jones shot 9-of-14 in 32 minutes. Breanna Stewart matched her with 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the line in 40 minutes. Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points, 7 assists, and 4 threes. New York never trailed. ESPN credits the Liberty with a 99 percent lead share and a largest cushion of 19, while Minnesota's largest lead was zero. The quarters ran 26-21, 23-16, 19-19, 19-15. Halftime was 49-37, and the second half never offered Minnesota a run that stuck.

The paint decided it before the third. New York scored 44 points in the paint to Minnesota's 28. Jones grabbed 6 offensive rebounds after an ankle-limited Game 1 that held her to 8 points, per Yahoo's Game 1 takeaways. Six offensive boards from one player is the plainest line in the box behind that 44. Napheesa Collier finished Game 2 with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 fouls in 33 minutes. Natasha Howard logged 16 minutes for 2 points.

Minnesota's half-court creation never arrived. Olivia Miles went 1-of-8 for 5 points and 1 assist in 17 minutes. She was also called for a foul on a Stewart layup that was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 after video review, per The Athletic's Annie Costabile. Courtney Williams led the Lynx with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-of-17. Kayla McBride and Collier both finished with 14. Nia Brodie scored 10 in 24 minutes, and she and Aari McDonald were the only Lynx to finish plus, both at +2. The team shot 38 percent from the field and never led. Philippou noted during the game that the Lynx had led for 3 minutes and 23 seconds across the series.

Stewart's Game 1 line of 34-12-6 had already stolen home court in Minneapolis. Tuesday she did not need another 34. She gave New York 40 minutes, 9 made free throws, 2 steals, and 2 blocks while Jones and Ionescu carried the scoring. The Liberty led 68-56 entering the fourth. They went 13-of-13 from the line as a team, and Minnesota went 11-of-14. New York finished with 11 turnovers.

New York is the first team into the WNBA semifinals. Minnesota closes a 33-11 regular season that delivered the No. 1 seed and home court, then ran into the 2024 champion that beat these same Lynx in a five-game Finals, per the AP. Game 1 was 91-75. Game 2 was 87-71. The Liberty's semifinal opponent is still to be determined, and the semifinals begin Sunday, Oct. 4, per Yahoo.

Sources

• ESPN box score: Lynx @ Liberty, Game 2. Sept. 29, 2026. Final 87-71; Jones 21/13 on 9-of-14 with 6 offensive rebounds in 32 minutes; Stewart 21 with 9-of-9 FT, 2 steals, 2 blocks in 40 minutes; Ionescu 18/7 with 4 threes; Williams 18/8/5 on 8-of-17; Collier 14/7 with 5 fouls in 33 minutes; McBride 14; Miles 5 on 1-of-8 with 1 assist in 17 minutes; Howard 2 in 16 minutes; Brodie 10 in 24 minutes at +2; McDonald +2; team FT 13-of-13 vs 11-of-14; Liberty 11 turnovers; quarters 26-23-19-19 / 21-16-19-15.
• ESPN team stats: Lynx @ Liberty, Game 2. Points in the paint 44-28; largest lead 19 vs 0; percent led 99 vs 0; FG 46% vs 38%.
• Alexa Philippou on X. Sept. 29, 2026. First team into the semifinals; Minnesota the first No. 1 seed in WNBA playoff history swept in an opening series.
• Alexa Philippou on X. Sept. 29, 2026. "The Lynx have led for 3 minutes and 23 seconds in this series."
• Annie Costabile on X. Sept. 29, 2026. Miles foul on a Stewart layup upgraded to a Flagrant 1 after video review.
• Yahoo Sports / WNBA Playoffs Game 1 Takeaways. Sept. 28, 2026. Jones played through an ankle injury for 8 points in Game 1; Minnesota 33-11; semifinals begin Sunday, Oct. 4.
• Associated Press via NBC Sports. Sept. 27, 2026. Liberty two years removed from their first WNBA championship, won over the Lynx in a five-game Finals; Game 1 91-75.
• Yahoo Sports on X. Sept. 29, 2026. Lynx eliminated after the Liberty sweep.
• Photo: WNBA.com. Official Jonquel Jones headshot, New York Liberty.