WNBA GMs Predict Lynx Over Liberty in 2025 Finals Rematch

With a 60–58 lead and under seven seconds remaining in regulation, the Lynx appeared moments away from closing out the Finals. But Alanna Smith was called for a foul when Breanna Stewart’s game-tying attempt missed. The decision stood after review, and Stewart hit both free throws to send the game to overtime. The Liberty went on to win 67–62.

“I think that loss is something I’ll never get over,” Napheesa Collier said during her postgame press conference. “To have it end that way, where it feels super unjust, I don’t think that’s something that I’ll be able to get over. It’s different if you feel like you lose a game. But when it feels like it was taken from you, that’s a whole different kind of pain. We worked so hard all year, and to have it come down to a call like that… it hurts. But we’ll use it. We have to.”

Head coach Cheryl Reeve echoed the frustration.

“That’s not how a championship should be decided,” Reeve said. “Our players deserved better, our fans deserved better. I’ve been in this league a long time, and I’ve never seen a call like that at that moment. I hope the league takes a hard look at how these games are officiated and how reviews are handled. We’ll remember this, and we’ll be back.”

Smith, reeling from the decision, added, “I thought I played it clean. I was just trying to contest without fouling, and to have it called at that moment… it’s devastating. You dream of these moments, and for it to end like that, it’s tough to accept. But we’ll come back stronger.”

Minnesota Lynx Considered WNBA Title Favorites

Despite the painful ending, or perhaps because of it, the Lynx enter the 2025 season as the consensus title favorite. In the league’s annual general manager survey, Minnesota received 60% of the vote to win this year’s championship, triple the support of runner-up New York (20%). Indiana and Las Vegas earned 10% each. GMs also predicted a Lynx–Liberty rematch would be the most likely Finals outcome.

Minnesota was also named the league’s top defensive team (73% of GM votes), reflecting its physical and disciplined identity. The Lynx return their entire starting five, including Collier, Smith, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Bridget Carleton. Their continuity, chemistry, and collective drive position them as a powerhouse on both ends of the floor.

Collier, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is also the frontrunner for MVP after receiving 67% of the GM vote. A’ja Wilson (25%) and Caitlin Clark (8%) were the only other players to garner votes. Collier has been sharpening her game in the Unrivaled Basketball League this offseason, remaining dominant and locked in on delivering a title.

“You have to remember that feeling and make sure you don’t feel it again,” Reeve said during training camp. “This group is hungry. We’re not going to let one moment define us, but we are going to use it to fuel us every single day.”

With their core intact and motivation at an all-time high, the Minnesota Lynx are not just contenders—they’re on a mission.