Lynx collapses out of playoffs as Liberty becomes first No. 8 seed to lose No. 1 seed in WNBA playoff history

The No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx were eliminated from the 2026 WNBA playoffs in stunning fashion Tuesday with an 87-71 loss to the No. 8 seed New York Liberty, who completed a two-game sweep in what was a rematch of the 2024 Finals. The Lynx are the first No. 1 seed to lose a first-round series to a No. 8 seed.

Despite playing the home opener on Sunday and needing a response to keep their season alive, the Lynx immediately fell behind 9-1 on Tuesday and were down double digits within five minutes. Although they came back into the game at different points, they never led what turned into an emphatic victory for the Liberty.

There were few standout performances for the Lynx, who shot 38.2 percent from the field as a team. Courtney Williams led the way with 18 points, but needed 17 shots to get there, while Napheesa Collier needed 14 shots for her 14 points. Unanimous Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles, meanwhile, scored just five points on 1-of-8 shooting from the field and was benched midway through the third quarter after committing a flagrant (unintentional) foul on Breanna Stewart.

The Lynx finished 33-11 to earn the No. 1 seed for the second straight season, and despite stumbling down the stretch, they were the favorites to win the title heading into the playoffs. But again, they will go home early.

Liberty’s Big Three showed up in a big way to ensure this series didn’t come back to Minnesota. Jonquel Jones had 21 points and 13 rebounds, Breanna Stewart had 21 points, five rebounds and four assists and Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points and seven assists.

New York will now play against the Atlanta Dream or Washington Mystics. The Dream leads 1-0 in this series, with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday night in Washington, DC.