NEW YORK – Betnijah Laney-Hamilton couldn’t immediately pick her favorite moment from the New York Liberty’s WNBA Finals Game 2 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday. So here are some possibilities.
Maybe she’ll reflect on her first 3-pointer just over five minutes into New York’s eventual 80-66 victory. At that moment, Courtney Vandersloot knew it would be Laney-Hamilton’s night. “She looked different tonight,” Vandersloot said. “When she plays like that, we’re a different team.”
Or perhaps Laney-Hamilton will look back with the most fondness on her final 3-pointer with 3:21 left in the game — a triple that extended the Liberty’s lead from two points to five and another furious Lynx rally in the fourth quarter. “A corner 3 for (Laney-Hamilton) is a layup,” guard Sabrina Ionescu said.
Or will it be Laney-Hamilton’s postgame hugs with Ionescu and Kayla Thornton as a Barclays Center-record 18,040 fans basked in the joy of a New York win? Or receiving the game ball in New York’s locker room that will be most meaningful?
The options are numerous because Laney-Hamilton’s impact was enormous. She tied her season high with 20 points and played suffocating defense against Minnesota’s Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride.
“She plays on both ends of the floor and plays hard,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “She is a winner, so happy that she achieved this success tonight and (can) continue to build on it.”
Bucket 🐝 is ACTIVATED 👑@BetnijahLaney is our @Withings Player of the Game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/C82OIprXaI
— Freedom of New York (@nyliberty) October 13, 2024
If Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals will be remembered for New York’s historic collapse, the second game will be remembered for contributions from both inside and outside the Liberty roster. An X-factor was the key factor.
“You need players to go above and beyond your starters, and they did that for two games,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “And we’re struggling to get that consistent. We must have that.”
Laney-Hamilton’s starring role was especially welcomed by New York after her relatively minimal impact in Game 1. Her 26 minutes in that loss were the fewest among New York’s starters. On the eve of Game 2, Brondello was tempered when assessing Laney-Hamilton’s performance. ‘I think everyone can see that she’s trying. It’s not the same ‘B’ we’ve seen all season, but it is what it is,” Brondello said Saturday.
Still, Brondello noticed Laney-Hamilton consistently knocking down 3-pointers during the Liberty’s off-day practice and during pregame warmups on Sunday.
Then the ball tipped and Laney-Hamilton made an immediate impact. Minnesota had consistently gone under the scenes she was involved in. Aggressive and open, she sank her first 2-point jumper and her first 3-pointer two possessions later.
That was all part of the plan. New York has advised her not to be passive.
“We know she can do this,” said Liberty star Breanna Stewart.
But Laney-Hamilton didn’t always show it due to injury. She played only 28 games during the regular season, missing 12 games between July 6 and August 26 due to a knee procedure. Brondello said New York missed the playmaking and grittiness of Laney-Hamilton. “How she is the ultimate competitor,” Brondello said.
Players other than Stewart, Ionescu and Jones emerged in her absence, which was crucial to the Liberty League’s best 32 wins. It was also crucial throughout the postseason as they stormed past the Atlanta Dream in the first round and overpowered the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. Laney-Hamilton had scored double figures just once this postseason, and she hadn’t scored 20 points since early July.
It’s a credit to New York’s roster that several players can play key roles on any given night. In Game 1, for example, Leonie Fiebich shone with five three-pointers and seventeen points. Fiebich only had one basket on Sunday, and it didn’t matter.
Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points in the Liberty’s win. (Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images)
“(General manager Jonathan Kolb) has built this team to withstand anything any of the opponents in the W can throw at us, and so it’s really good to see everyone stepping up,” said Jonquel Jones. “That’s what it takes.”
The Lynx have X-factors that have also emerged during their postseason run. Their two All-Stars, Napheesa Collier and McBride, have been effective throughout the playoffs. But offensive attacks from Williams or Bridget Carleton, or rim protection and timely three-point shooting from Alanna Smith, have often been the difference in Minnesota’s journey.
But through two games, the Lynx haven’t shown who will consistently step up. Williams was held in check by 15 points on Sunday. “(It’s) a huge difference,” Reeve said. “Both games (New York got) help.”
Perhaps a return to Target Center will boost Carleton in particular. She has made just six of her last 30 three-point attempts. Perhaps a Minnesota backup will provide a spark off the bench (the team received just five bench points in Game 2).
After Sunday’s win, Laney-Hamilton declined to discuss details about her health. She chose to reflect on her achievements instead.
“To see a glimpse of what I’m capable of, it felt really good,” she said. And it made sense too. Her final three-pointer in particular changed the momentum of the game, as the Lynx had cut a 17-point New York lead to two.
History will tell if that shot, and Laney-Hamilton’s overall play, changed the series when the final resumes Wednesday night.
“She played a big role in the game ending and she will continue to do so in the next two games,” Ionescu said. “We believe in her. She knows that.”
(Photo: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)