Breanna Stewart's 34 points leads the Liberty in Game 1, and pushes the top-seeded Lynx to the brink

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.

“She’s a walking mismatch," said sidekick Sabrina Ionescu, who added 13 points.

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.

“We did a solid job in the first half and then we just fouled, fouled, fouled,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “We can’t give her 12 free throws. Fouling at the end of the shot clock is just not smart.”

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 franchise record for points in a playoff game, as the Liberty went 13 for 25 from 3-point range.

With center Jonquel Jones (eight points) playing through an ankle injury, the Liberty were more than happy to fire away from the outside. Leonie Fiebich went 4 for 5 from deep and had 16 points.

“We knew the shots that we were going to get,” Stewart said. “We had a few days to really practice that and be intentional, and whenever we were able to draw two — kick it to the open person, and shoot it with confidence.”

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.

“I thought we even struggled in the first half even though we had a lead,” Reeve said. “It was a little too much grinding. I think there's some easier things we can do."

New York hosts Game 2 on Tuesday with the opportunity to eliminate Minnesota, which must win to bring Game 3 back to Target Center on Thursday.

The Liberty were as tough of an opponent as a team with the league's best regular season record could face, finishing 26-18 and just two years removed from their first WNBA championship that came at the expense of the Lynx in a dramatic final that went the full five games.

The Liberty were ousted in the first round last season by the Phoenix Mercury, who then eliminated the top-seeded Lynx before losing to the Las Vegas Aces for the title.

With the memory of that humbly short trip to the 2025 playoffs still fresh, Stewart warned her teammates not to find satisfaction in the way they seized home-court advantage from Minnesota, reflecting on the overtime win in Phoenix last year that preceded a 26-point loss in New York.

“This doesn't mean relax,” Stewart said.

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles reacts during the first half of Game 1 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs against the New York Liberty, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) drives toward the hoop while New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) defends during the first half of Game 1 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Caldwell, right, and New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, second from right, vie for the ball during the first half of Game 1 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

New York Liberty guard Marine Johannes, top, and Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Caldwell, bottom, battle for possession of the ball during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) dribbles downcourt as Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Caldwell (3) defends during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

DEBRECEN, Hungary (AP) — There were no handshakes between Ireland and Israel players before their contentious Nations League match on Sunday, with the Irish team wearing black armbands for its 3-0 victory.

The game faced bitter opposition in Ireland over Israel’s actions in Gaza with the players coming under huge pressure to boycott two matches against Israel.

Reserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazuno decided Saturday to leave the squad for both games because of what he said was his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”

The Irish players looked down at the grass with their heads bowed and hands behind their backs during the playing of the Israeli national anthem, and Irish captain Dara O’Shea approached the center of the field for the pre-match talk with his hands still firmly clasped behind his back.

O’Shea shook hands with the referee and his assistants but there was no attempt to shake the hand of Israel captain Manor Solomon.

There was a small group of Israeli fans in the otherwise almost-empty stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, but an even smaller group of around 10 people without colors were celebrating when Troy Parrott broke the deadlock in the 13th minute.

There weren’t supposed to be any Irish fans present. Some Ireland supporters who managed to get tickets through the Israeli soccer federation told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that those had been canceled Saturday night.

Adam Idah made it 2-0 three minutes after Parrott’s opener and Jack Moylan got the third goal in the 25th.

Ireland needed goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher at his best to deny Israel after the break, and tempers became frayed around the hour mark after a clash between Idah and Raz Shlomo. Both players were booked by German referee Harm Osmers.

Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi was suspended for the game after his sending off following his goal-celebration in Thursday’s 3-1 loss to Austria.

Ireland and Israel meet again on Oct. 4 in Ireland’s “home” game in Backa Topola, Serbia.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Oscar Gloukh of Israel gestures during the Nations League soccer match with Ireland in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)/MTI via AP)

Raz Shlomo of Israel, center, in action against Liam Kitchin of Ireland during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)

Players of Israel, right, and Ireland stand for the anthems before the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)

Players of Israel, right, and Ireland stand for the anthems before the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)

Oscar Gloukh of Israel, left, in action against James Abankwah of Ireland during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)

Dor Turgeman of Israel, right, in action against Jake O'Brien of Ireland during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)

Eliel Peretz of Israel, left, in action against Conor Coventry of Ireland during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Zsolt Czegledi/MTI via AP)