BROOKLYN, N.Y. — In the thrilling final minute of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, Cheryl Reeve, the dynamic head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, seemed ready to leap onto the court herself to help on defense.

Although such a move would have been unexpected, it would have fit the overall unpredictability of a game that the Lynx managed to secure a 95-93 overtime victory in, despite being underdogs.

Once the game concluded, after Courtney Williams made an astonishing four-point play and Breanna Stewart missed a free throw that could have clinched the win, Reeve pointed out a remarkable statistic: it was the first time in WNBA playoff history that a team had overcome a 15-point deficit with just five minutes left to come back and achieve victory.

The stunned silence from the New York Liberty fans told the tale. What seemed like a sure win for the home team slipped away as the Lynx, who had just come off a Game 5 two days earlier, mounted a fierce comeback.

On this night, Minnesota demonstrated that sometimes a team’s momentum can carry them through challenges. Despite having to fly in for a quick turnaround, they turned the situation to their advantage.

“This really represents our team’s spirit in facing tough situations,” Reeve said, radiating joy after the game. “We’ve demonstrated mental toughness and resilience. It’s all about supporting one another and having confidence, and we achieved that tonight.”

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello acknowledged this after watching her team struggle.

“They brought the energy and worked harder. We missed a lot of shots,” she said, referring to the Lynx’s performance as the game dwindled. “They executed better than us, found a way to win, played aggressively, and took it to another level.”

<p.Shockingly, just two hours earlier, the Lynx found themselves down 32-19 after the first quarter. However, Reeve, who recently led the U.S. Olympic team to gold, remained unfazed.

“We understand this is a long series,” she noted. “The first quarter doesn’t determine the game. It wasn’t our ideal start, but our focus during timeouts was to find our footing, and we managed to hold them to only 12 points in the second quarter. We went into halftime trailing by just eight.”

As they fought their way back, the energy on the Lynx bench surged as everyone sensed a significant change was on the horizon.

“Defensively, we knew what steps we needed to take,” Reeve explained. “We faced numerous challenges. We secured crucial stops when they mattered most. Whether it was loose balls, jump balls, or fouls, we had to dig deep at the end, make those defensive plays, and that’s what I’m proud of.”

Reeve reflected on the rapid turnaround from Game 5, saying, “It was quick.”

“We’re all aware: it’s television. We simply have to make the best of the situation.”

And they certainly did so successfully!