Minnesota Lynx Suffer Historic Playoff Exit After Liberty Complete Stunning Sweep

The top seeded Minnesota Lynx saw their season come to a dramatic end in the first round of the 2026 WNBA playoffs.

The New York Liberty trounced Minnesota 87-71 in Game 2 on Tuesday night to complete a two game sweep.

The win gave the Liberty the first No. 8 seed in WNBA history to knock off a No 1 seed in the first round.

The Lynx had been dominant for the majority of the regular season, finishing with a 33-11 record.

They also have Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles and Coach of the Year Cheryl Reeve heading into the post-season.

But once the playoffs started, the club failed to find its groove.

New York dominated the second game from the opening. The Liberty took an early double-digit lead, jumping out to a 15-5 lead.

Minnesota tried to rally back in the third quarter but a crucial three-pointer from Sabrina Ionescu helped New York regain control before the period concluded.

Jonquel Jones had 21 points and 13 rebounds while Breanna Stewart added 21 points and Ionescu contributed 18 points during Liberty’s march to the semifinals.

Courtney Williams scored 18 points to lead Minnesota. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride scored 14 apiece.

Now the Lynx are looking at an early offseason following one of the biggest playoff exits in league history.