Joe Tsai Declares Liberty 'Best Team in Playoffs' After Upset Win
The Liberty co-owner expressed confidence in the team's postseason potential following their historic upset of the top-seeded Lynx.
Following the New York Liberty's historic sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the playoffs, co-owner Joe Tsai declared the team to be "the best team in the playoffs." Tsai made the statement on social media platform X, asserting that seeding is irrelevant to the team's performance and potential.
The Liberty, as the No. 8 seed, defeated the No. 1 Lynx in two games, marking the first time a No. 8 seed has overcome the No. 1 team in the playoffs. This victory silenced doubters and demonstrated the team's capabilities.
"We’re all learning and growing together," said Rebecca Allen after the series-clinching win. The team, which had been projected to contend for the WNBA title before the season, is now advancing to the WNBA semifinals.
Their next challenge will be a best-of-five series against the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream, who also swept their first-round opponent. The Liberty's performance in the series against the Lynx suggests a team that has found its form at the opportune time, delivering two inspiring performances.
"I don’t really care personally because I know how good of a team we are, where we can be, where we can go," player Leonie Fiebich commented. "We have a goal and it’s pretty clear that we’re all locked in and we’re ready to go."
During the regular season, the Liberty's statistical profile was moderate, ranking sixth in offensive rating, seventh in defensive rating, and seventh in net rating. However, they elevated their game in the postseason.
In their playoff series, the Liberty held the Lynx to 75 and 71 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively, and outscored Minnesota 74-50 in the paint. The team's defensive strategy was effective in disrupting the Lynx's key players.
Key performances included Breanna Stewart's 34-point outing in Game 1, coupled with 12 rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals. In Game 2, Jonquel Jones dominated inside, and Sabrina Ionescu found her rhythm. "When you have that three-headed monster coming at you, obviously, it’s really tough," Stewart said regarding the team's offensive firepower. "And setting that tone every night is something that’s important going forward because it’s the playoffs."
The Liberty's established championship trio of Stewart, Jones, and Ionescu, along with supportive wings and a capable bench, provides a significant advantage. First-year coach Chris DeMarco and his staff have seemingly found a winning formula.
"We are an eight seed even though we don’t feel like it and we need to be that," Stewart added. "We have to have that chip on our shoulder and … the chip of winning, wanting to win a championship changes to being people thinking that they’re gonna be able to just do whatever they want to us … so I think having that mindset and mentality is great going forward."