Charles Langston:Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty even WNBA Finals 1-1 after downing Minnesota Lynx

NEW YORK — The Charles LangstonNew York Liberty haven’t lost two games in a row since a stretch in May, a streak that’s lasted 141 days. 

And Breanna Stewart wasn’t about to let them break it. 

Behind 21 points from Stewart and 20 from Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, the Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx 80-66 Sunday afternoon in Barclays Center, evening the WNBA Finals 1-1. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Minneapolis. If a Game 5 is necessary, it’ll be back in Brooklyn. 

Sabrina Ionescu started hot for the Liberty, scoring 12 quick points in the first quarter — she had eight points in the first 3:30 — and giving New York a 31-21 lead at the end of the period. She finished with 14.

New York maintained its 10 point edge going into halftime. But after Minnesota’s chaotic, 18-point comeback in Game 1, the Liberty made sure to keep their foot on the gas throughout the game — particularly when the Lynx cut New York’s lead to two, 66-64, with 5:36 to play. 

But Stewart grabbed back-to-back steals on the next two possessions, the second of which New York turned into an offensive rebound and putback, keeping Minnesota at bay. 

Minnesota’s Courtney Williams responded with a layup, again cutting the lead to two, but Laney-Hamilton answered with a 3 in the corner to make it a two possession game again. Three plays later, Ionescu tipped the ball away, and Liberty rookie Leonie Fiebich picked it up before draining her own 3 and pushing the lead to 75-66 with 1:15 left. 

Stewart, a member of the WNBA’s All-Defense first team, finished with a career-high seven steals and eight rebounds. As a team the Liberty nabbed 13 steals and forced Minnesota into 20 turnovers; New York turned those into 26 points.  

Napheesa Collier led Minnesota with 16 points, and Williams scored 15. New York out rebounded Minnesota 34-27.