Locked On Women’s Basketball: How the Minnesota Lynx can beat the New York Liberty

They discussed Minnesota’s series win over the Connecticut Sun, how the Lynx match up with New York and why Napheesa Collier is such a valuable off-the-floor asset for Minnesota.

Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?

Subscribe now to our sister publication The IX and receive our independent women’s sports newsletter six days a week. Learn more about your favorite athletes and teams around the world competing in soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers.

Readers of The Next now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.

“When you have a bona fide superstar player, one of the best players in the world who carries themselves with the humility that Phee does, that trickles down to the entire roster,” Horstman said. “And I think Cheryl [Reeve] as a coach coaches Phee just as hard and the same way that she coaches Alissa Pili or Olivia Epoupa or players who aren’t getting action in these games, but they are part of the team and part of Lynx culture. And I think this is just a group that really responds to that.”

Horstman also broke down what he’s most focused on seeing from the Lynx heading into Game 1 on Thursday night based on the four matchups between the Lynx and Liberty during the regular season.

“I am looking for how the Lynx defend Jonquel Jones because the common denominator in the Lynx’s wins across the four times they’ve played this year … was limiting Jonquel Jones,” Horstman said. “There’s just so many storylines and so many matchups, but the Lynx have played as a small team all year. And, there’s a reason why Alanna Smith was honored with second team all-defense. … She does so many things when their defense is going well that don’t show up in the box score.”

Be sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast for more coverage of the WNBA Finals, women’s college basketball and so much more.

Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%

Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, released his latest book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.

If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.