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After Caitlin Clark’s record-setting playoff game, Lynx vs Liberty Finals game smashes 21-year record for non-CC broadcasts
The Minnesota Lynx vs. New York Liberty WNBA Finals Game 1 brought some positive news for the league. Game 1 of the 2024 finals was the most-watched Game 1 in the league's history. Moreover, the game also garnered over a million viewers in total, the second most in 20 years.
The Liberty vs. Lynx became the first non-Caitlin Clark or the adjacent playoff game to break 1 million viewers in the past 21 years. This season marks the 27th time a game in the 2024 season has crossed 1 million views. However, this is only the third time that it wasn't a Caitlin Clark game or a game following her.
Last season, Game 1 of the WNBA Finals garnered 729K viewership, the highest in the last 10 years. The total number of views peaked at 1.14 million for the Lynx vs. Liberty game yesterday. It broke the last record held by the Phoenix Mercury vs. Houston Comets in 1998, which had 1.07 million viewers.
Interestingly, Lynx vs. Liberty Game 1 was streamed directly against NFL Thursday Night and MLB postseason. Despite this amount of traffic, the viewership speaks a lot about the league's success in the future.
Given how two teams are competing for the title this season, it is going to be an interesting Lynx vs. Liberty WNBA Finals. The Liberty have lost the first of their home game in the Finals. They will play Game 2 with a different urgency.
Lynx vs. Liberty WNBA Finals Game 1 was nothing less than a thriller
After the first quarters of the Lynx vs. Liberty, it clearly seemed like the Lynx had no chance to stand against the best team in the WNBA. The Liberty took a 13-point lead in the first quarter. Despite the Lynx trying hard to cut the lead, they could cut it to only 8 points by halftime.
The Lynx were able to outscore the Liberty by just one point in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 7 points. Unfortunately for the Liberty, that's when Naphessa Collier stepped up.
The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year was unlocked. Collier scored 6 points and had 2 blocks and a steal in the quarter. With Breanna Stewart shooting two free throws, Liberty had the chance to seal the game 83-84, with the Lynx leading. However, the Liberty superstar missed her second free throw and the game went to overtime.
The Lynx outscored the Liberty 11-9. Collier made the game-winning shot with the score tied at 93 each. She sealed the game with a fadeaway turnaround jumper. Collier ended up scoring 21 points on 62% shooting from the field. She also had 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 blocks and 3 steals in the game.
The Lynx vs. Liberty WNBA Finals Game 2 will take place on October 14 at the Barclays Center.
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