5. MEWIS STARTS THE FOURTH OFF WITH A BANG(ER)

For your halftime enjoyment ????#HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/a9R5S4fqVL

— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) July 5, 2020

Houston Dash’s Shea Groom gets played a slip ball from the flank, which she then deals out to Mewis who hammers home an absolute banger, giving her team the extra edge in their 2-0 win against OL Reign. This was Mewis’ first goal of the season, on a play that almost looked just a little too easy.

 

4. BELLA BIXBY GIVES HER FANS AN EXTRA FIREWORK SHOW

Another big night from @bellageist in net. ????

Her full reach stop on ???? earns tonight's @Verizon Save of the Match!#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/BwFozDFZUE

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 6, 2020

Washington Spirit’s Ashley Hatch takes a line-drive shot to the front post, but the Portland Thorns’ rookie keeper Bixby makes a full-extension dive to deny a should-have-been goal. Bixby’s composure in goal helped the Thorns secure a 1-1 draw against the Spirit.

 

3. SANCHEZ AND STAAB’S COMBINATION IS ONE IN A MILLION

Back heel flick from @ashleynsanchezz ✅
Equalizer from @SamStaab_ ✅pic.twitter.com/jPXSsTeQIu

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) July 6, 2020

Sorry Portland, but there was no way you could have stopped this combination from ending up in the back of the net. Sanchez uses her back heel to flick on a corner ball to her teammate Staab, who heads the ball into the goal. It’s a goal that’s equal parts beautiful and absurd, and it drew the Spirit even in their 1-1 draw.

 

2. RED, WHITE, AND THE GREAT HORAN

Good morning.

In case you missed it last night, Lindsey Horan did THIS. #NWSLChallengeCup (???? @nwsl) pic.twitter.com/B1sbjCLJze

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) July 6, 2020

Meghan Klingenberg chips a beautifully weighted ball over the top, finding her teammate, Horan, who lays out to head the ball into the back of the net. You’re not supposed to be knocking in headers from this far out. Lesson: don’t lose sight of Horan… ever.

 

1.  “WHAT EVEN IS GRAVITY?” ASKS SHEA GROOM

???? @sheabayy2 WITH AUTHORITY ????@HoustonDash double their lead.

2-0 | #HOUvRGN

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/UqCoJGOOXC

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 5, 2020

Houston Dash’s Rachel Daly, hits a bomb from way outside to find her wide open teammate, Groom, inside the box. Groom takes flight and crushes the ball into the back of the net, helping Houston run away with a 2-0 win over OL Reign. With flights like this one, Groom will be dropping a new airline soon.

In a battle between the top two regular-season finishers, the Minnesota Lynx will travel to Brooklyn to play the New York Liberty in the first game of the best-of-five 2024 WNBA Finals on Thursday.

Former UConn teammates and 2024 Olympic gold medalists Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier headline the matchup. Stewart's top-seeded Liberty will look to earn their first-ever WNBA title in their sixth Finals appearance.

Collier and the new-look Lynx are bringing a former dynasty back to the biggest stage, in the team's first finals appearance since their 2017 championship.

The road to the 2024 WNBA Finals

After topping the league in the regular season with a 32-8 record, New York put the No. 8-seed Atlanta Dream's season to bed in the first playoff round. To reach the 2024 Finals, the Liberty avenged their 2023 championship series, ousting Las Vegas and ending the two-time defending champs' three-peat chase in four semifinal games.

As for the Lynx, Minnesota claimed second in the regular season standings, just two wins shy of matching New York's record. They sent the Phoenix Mercury packing by sweeping the first round, but needed all five semifinal games to outlast the Connecticut Sun and book their seventh trip to Finals.

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Liberty's title mission meets Lynx's underdogs

The Liberty and Lynx aren't just the league's top teams. They led the East and West Conferences, respectively, and boast the WNBA's top offense (New York) and second-best defense (Minnesota).

That said, the 2024 WNBA Finals will pit a superstar-laden Liberty squad against a Minnesota team that few thought would even make the postseason when play began this year.

Alongside two-time MVP Stewart, New York's squad includes 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones, sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu, and a frighteningly deep bench.

On the other hand, only five players, including 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Collier, returned from Minnesota's 2023 team. Lynx boss Cheryl Reeve, the 2024 Coach of the Year, added key athletes to Minnesota's originally slim roster, including three — Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith — who were cut from various other WNBA teams in 2021 or 2022. All have made significant contributions as the Lynx proved early season expectations wrong.

"We didn't scare anybody," Reeve said after winning Tuesday's Game 5. "I'm not sure that anybody at any point in the season was like, 'Yeah, they have a real shot at winning a championship' other than the people that are in our corner. And I think we're continuing to have to make believers."

An historic WNBA Finals on deck

Entering the Finals, sports books heavily favor the Liberty, but the Lynx actually hold a 3-1 record against New York in 2024. That edge includes Minnesota's 94-89 victory over the Liberty in June 25th's Commissioners Cup final.

No matter who walks away with the 2024 championship, WNBA history will be made. Either the Liberty will claim their first title, or Minnesota will become the first franchise to win five championships. The Lynx are currently tied at four titles with the Seattle Storm and the folded Houston Comets.

How to watch the Lynx vs. the Liberty in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals

The Lynx and Liberty will tip off at Brooklyn's Barclays Center at 8 PM ET on Thursday, with live broadcast and streaming coverage on ESPN.

The Minnesota Lynx advanced to the 2024 WNBA Finals by defeating the Connecticut Sun 88-77 in Tuesday's winner-take-all Game 5. The Sun have now been ousted from the WNBA semifinals for the fourth time in six years.

Buoyed by a home crowd, the Lynx jumped out to take the early lead. Propelled by the play of 2024 MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier and guard Courtney Williams, Minnesota wrapped up the first half an impressive 19 points ahead of the Sun.

Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, finished the game with a 27-point, 11-rebound double-double. Willams put up 24 points, with guard Kayla McBride adding 19 in the decisive win.

“They just kind of punched us in the face, and we got shellshocked and then we couldn’t fight back,” said Connecticut forward DeWanna Bonner.

Lynx defense stifles the Sun

Combined with their explosive offense, the Lynx leaned on their strong defense to limit the Sun's impact. Connecticut shot just 38.5% from the floor as Minnesota forced 19 costly turnovers, converting them into 22 Lynx points.

Dijonai Carrington led the Sun with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the losing effort. Center Brionna Jones also put up a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds).

The loss ends the Sun's 2024 hunt for a first-ever franchise title, an effort that could become more difficult next season. Four of Connecticut's five starters — Bonner, Carrington, Jones, and forward Alyssa Thomas — are now officially free agents, meaning next year's Sun roster could see significant changes.

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Collier, Bonner make WNBA playoff history

Continuing her dominant season, yesterday's tilt saw Collier become the first WNBA player to put up at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in three straight playoff games.

Meanwhile, Sun veteran Bonner bows out of the postseason as the all-time leader in postseason WNBA games played. She's also second all-time in postseason scoring, and third in postseason rebounds.

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins gives a postmortem on this era of the Las Vegas Aces, before claiming the Liberty as WNBA championship frontrunners and prepping for Tuesday's Game 5 semifinal between the Lynx and the Sun.

Then, she chats about Orlando’s incredible run to the 2024 NWSL Shield, the individual NWSL records primed to fall, and aimlessness further down the league table.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

After splitting their first four games, tonight's Game 5 semifinal will determine who will go on to face New York in the 2024 WNBA Finals: the Minnesota Lynx or the Connecticut Sun.

The two teams' best-of-five series has been the tightest of the 2024 postseason thus far. Both claimed one road win and one at home, and even the series score sheet is wildly close, with the Lynx putting up 321 points across the four games and the Sun posting 315.

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New WNBA season, same elimination game matchup

Tonight's tilt marks the pair's second-straight season competing in a winner-takes-all playoff showdown after the Sun beat the Lynx 90-75 in Game 3 of 2023's first round.

"At this point, you know each other inside and out," said Sun coach Stephanie White after Sunday's win. "It's about players making plays. It’s about the extra efforts. The hustle plays. It's about not being denied and finding something deep inside of you that allows you to come out on top."

Unlike the Lynx, the Sun have the added motivation of hunting a franchise-first WNBA championship. Minnesota, on the other hand, boasts four titles already, most recently in 2017.

It's something top-of-mind for veteran Sun forward DeWanna Bonner, who called the atmosphere in Minneapolis for Game 1 and 2 "absolutely insane."

"I can only imagine what it will be like in a Game 5. We know that," Bonner continued. "I wouldn’t tell the team anything other than focus in on each other. They have great fans, championship fans. They’ve won multiple championships. They’re hungry for another one."

Stats pave a complicated road to the Finals

To overcome Minnesota's hunger, Connecticut will likely defer to Sunday's winning formula. The return of guard Ty Harris from injury had an immediate impact, as did the Sun's performance behind the arc — Connecticut sank 53% of their three-pointers while the Lynx failed to crack 40%.

For their part, Minnesota will be aiming to stifle Connecticut's offense, which saw five Sun players score double-digits on Sunday.

"We have to get back to what got us in this position in the first place, which is our defense," noted Lynx star Napheesa Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

How to watch Sun vs. Lynx in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals

The Sun and Lynx will tip off in Minneapolis at 8 PM ET tonight, with live broadcast and streaming coverage on ESPN2.