MINNEAPOLIS — The first three games of the 2024 WNBA Finals threatened to turn into laughers at the start, with one team racing out to a double-digit lead.
On Friday, with the finals trophy in the building and the prospect of elimination in the air, the game’s tenor was far less one-sided. Neither the Minnesota Lynx nor the New York Liberty led by more than six points, and there were 14 lead changes and 13 ties.
And after watching New York make every big play down the stretch on its home court Wednesday, Minnesota was the better-executing team in Game 4, tying the series 2-2 and forcing a decisive Game 5 in Brooklyn on Sunday with an 82-80 victory.
On the Lynx’s final offensive possession, Bridget Carleton secured an offensive rebound on an errant Courtney Williams jumper and was fouled on the play. She sank both free throws to put Minnesota up two and secure the win.
Bridget Carleton gets fouled on the put back and sinks both free throws to secure the Game 4 WIN for Minnesota 🚨#WNBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/kXgWlpEu2Z
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 19, 2024
Carleton, who Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve called a “hustle-play player” finished with…
