Stewart's 34 points lifts Liberty over top-seeded Lynx in Game 1 upset

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Breanna Stewart produced yet another clutch performance in the WNBA playoffs with 34 points and 12 rebounds for the New York Liberty in a 91-75 victory over the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx to open their best-of-three first-round series on Sunday.

Stewart, the two-time league MVP, added six assists, two steals and two blocks. She shot 11 for 18 from the floor with her friend and former college teammate Napheesa Collier, the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, guarding her most of the afternoon.

Stewart, who recently helped the U.S. national team win a fifth consecutive World Cup, has the second-highest postseason scoring average by any player in league history. She was two short of the Liberty franchise record for points in a playoff game.

Nia Brodie led the Lynx with 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench and Kayla McBride had 14 points after missing her first five 3-point attempts. Collier and All-Star center Natasha Howard each fouled out, and star rookie Olivia Miles had a quiet postseason debut with 11 points on 3-for-12 shooting and just one assist.

ACES 102, FEVER 85

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson played like an MVP, totaling 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots, and Las Vegas rolled to a Game 1 victory over Indiana in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.

Wilson was named the Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year earlier in the day for an unprecedented third year in a row, and the third-seeded Aces looked every bit like the team that has won three of the past four championships. Wilson’s scoring total matched a personal career postseason high.

Caitlin Clark and Indiana, which is seeded sixth, will get a chance to even the series on its court when the teams meet Tuesday night and force a Game 3 in Las Vegas. A loss ends the Fever’s season and sends the defending champion Aces on to the semifinals.

It wasn’t all Wilson for the Aces, who also received strong contributions from Jackie Young (21 points, 10 assists), Chelsea Gray (14 points, eight assists) and Jewell Loyd (10 points). Gray now has 397 career playoff assists to pass Courtney Vandersloot (390) for second place in playoff history.

Aliyah Boston finished with 18 points and eight rebounds for the Fever. despite being hampered by a lower leg injury. Clark had 15 points and 10 assists, and Kelsey Mitchell, who put together a record 27-game streak with at least 20 points, scored 12 point on 4-of-16 shooting.

DREAM 92, MYSTICS 77

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Rhyne Howard had 26 points and five steals, Angel Reese added 13 points and 12 rebounds in her first career playoff game, and Atlanta beat Washington in Game 1 of their first-round series.

The No. 5 seed Mystics committed 22 turnovers which Atlanta converted into 27 points. The Dream set the franchise’s playoff record with 16 steals, two shy on the WNBA mark of 18 held by Indiana from 2009.

Allisha Gray scored 22 points and Jordin Canada had 10 points and 11 assists for the fourth-seeded Dream.

Howard was 7-of-18 shooting but hit 10 of 10 from the free-throw line and Reese made just 4 of 15 from the field.

Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 25 points. Kiki Iriafen had 15 points and 14 rebounds — nine on the offensive end — and Shakira Austin added 12 points and 16 rebounds.

Canada made a layup that trimmed Atlanta’s deficit to 41-36 at halftime and Gray capped a 7-0 spurt to open the third with a 3-pointer that gave the Dream their first lead since the opening minute. DeWanna Bonner scored 11 of her 13 points in 18-5 run that made it 61-48 with 2:29 left until the fourth and the Mystics trailed by at least seven the rest of the way.

Howard made a 3-pointer that opened the scoring 22 seconds into the game but Iriafen scored four points and Georgia Amoore hit from behind the arc as Washington answered with an 8-0 run.

VALKYRIES 104, WINGS 80

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Cecilia Zandalasini scored 22 points, Gabby Williams added 20, and the second-seeded Golden State ran away from Dallas by halftime for a win in the teams’ playoff opener Sunday night.

Paige Bueckers had 21 points and six rebounds for Dallas, which won seven of eight to end the season to earn the seventh seed and will now try to stave off elimination at home.

Game 2 in the best-of-three series is Wednesday in Dallas and, if necessary, Game 3 would be Friday back at Chase Center in front of the raucous, violet-clad sellout home crowd in “Ballhalla.”

“Ballhalla’s part of us,” coach Natalie Nakase said of the fans.

Tiffany Hayes had 21 points off the bench as the second-year Valkyries scored their most points ever, and Veronica Burton contributed 10 points. Zandalasini shot 7 for 11 with four 3-pointers.

The Valkyries outscored Dallas 37-11 in the second quarter and went 10 for 20 from 3-point range in the first half on the way to a 58-31 advantage at the break. The Valkyries shot 18 for 36 on 3-pointers in the game.