Liberty Stun the Lynx, Thanks to Sabrina Ionescu's Dagger

It didn’t exactly start off as a highlight reel for Sabrina Ionescu in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. To put it lightly, things weren’t looking too hot for her or the Liberty as they faced the Lynx with the series tied 1-1. But who’s going to remember the start when you have one of the greatest finishes in WNBA history?

With just one second left on the clock, Sabrina decided she’d had enough of playing catch-up and nailed a deep, and I mean deep, 3-pointer to seal an 80-77 victory for New York.

Let’s not forget about Breanna Stewart either. She had herself a night with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and a perfect 10-of-10 from the charity stripe. Add in some clutch defense with four blocked shots, and you've got a recipe for an epic road win, New York's first WNBA Finals road victory since 1999.

The Liberty are now one game away from their first-ever WNBA championship, with Minnesota facing an uphill battle to force a Game 5. But if we’ve learned anything, it’s that nothing is impossible. Four teams have come back from being down 2-1 to win the WNBA title, and the Lynx did it themselves back in 2017. Can they do it again? Friday’s game is going to be must-watch TV!

Caitlin Clark Continues to Make History

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever isn’t exactly taking her rookie year lightly. On Wednesday, she became the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008 to make the All-WNBA First Team. Joining her on the prestigious squad are A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Alyssa Thomas. An elite lineup if ever there was one.

With this honor, Clark joins an exclusive club of legendary rookies, including Parker, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, and Diana Taurasi. Something tells me we’ll be seeing her name a lot more in these conversations over the years.

There’s a reason she was on 66 of 67 All-WNBA ballots, and if you’ve been watching her play, you know why. Clark’s been a game-changer, averaging 19.2 points, a league-leading 8.4 assists, and helping the Fever reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016. She also made 122 3-pointers, leading the entire league. With Clark in their corner, the Fever are looking to build something special. Could a title be in their near future? We wouldn’t bet against it.

Unrivaled Women’s 3-on-3 League Takes the Spotlight

Exciting news for women’s basketball fans. The new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, just landed a multiyear partnership with TNT and truTV.

Starting January 17, you’ll be able to catch more than 45 games across three nights a week, with matchups airing on Mondays and Fridays on TNT and Saturdays on truTV. Women’s hoops is getting the primetime treatment it deserves.

The league will feature 30 of the top women’s basketball players, divided into six teams, battling it out on a smaller, faster-paced court for eight weeks in sunny Miami. With some of the sport’s biggest names involved, Unrivaled is set to deliver exciting, high-energy basketball every week. With a new format, elite talent, and major broadcast backing, this league could reshape women’s basketball as we know it.

Lonzo Ball Is Back

What a night for Chicago fans. After over 1,000 days, three knee surgeries, and more uncertainty than a Game 7, Lonzo Ball is back on the hardwood. And the Bulls faithful welcomed him with a standing ovation during Wednesday’s preseason game.

Ball, who last played in January 2022, has had a wild medical journey. After two failed surgeries to repair his knee, he underwent an experimental cartilage transplant, something no NBA player had ever come back from... until now.

And Lonzo showed out, dropping 10 points and looking smooth out there.

The Bulls will play it safe with Lonzo, no back-to-backs just yet, but if he can provide steady point guard minutes behind Josh Giddey and Coby White, it’ll be a game-changer for Chicago. His story could be one of the most inspiring comebacks we see this season.

76ers Rookie Hospitalized

The Sixers grabbed a preseason win against the Nets on Wednesday night, but it came with a scary moment when Jared McCain, their first-round pick, took a hard fall late in the game. After colliding with a defender, McCain hit the floor awkwardly and struggled to catch his breath for several minutes.

Coach Nick Nurse was understandably concerned:

McCain finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes before going down. This is a tough blow for the 20-year-old Duke standout, who’s been solid in the preseason, averaging 12.8 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Luka Doncic Returns to Practice, But Will He Play?

In Dallas, Luka Doncic finally made his way back to practice after missing two weeks due to a calf contusion. Even so, Doncic won’t suit up for Thursday's game against the Bucks, and the Mavericks have yet to field their much-anticipated trio of Luka, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson together this preseason.

The Mavericks’ regular-season opener is just around the corner on Oct. 24 against the Spurs, but until then, Klay’s dealing with back tightness and the squad is still figuring out chemistry. Doncic, however, seems on track for the opener.

After leading the league with 33.9 points per game last season and nearly averaging a triple-double, it seems that Luka is ready to remind the world why he’s one of the best.

Kings Land Doug McDermott

The Sacramento Kings are bringing in some much-needed firepower. Free agent Doug McDermott has agreed to a deal with the Kings, adding his veteran presence and 3-point shooting to a team that's already a playoff contender in the West.

McDermott, now entering his 11th NBA season, is no stranger to knocking down shots from deep, boasting a career 41% success rate from beyond the arc. And the timing couldn't be better for Sacramento, as they’ve just cleared up roster space by trading Jalen McDaniels to the San Antonio Spurs earlier this week.

At 6-foot-6, McDermott may not light up the scoreboard like he did earlier in his career, but his ability to stretch the floor with his shooting will give Sacramento’s offense an extra edge. Last season, split between the Spurs and Pacers, he averaged 5.5 points over 64 games. But for a team looking to make noise in the Western Conference, adding McDermott is a low-risk move that could pay off big in crucial moments.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading.

We’ll see you tomorrow!

— The Players Unlimited Team