WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve didn’t like the way Maya
Moore was playing, so she benched her star for most of the fourth quarter and
then put her back in the game at just the right time.
Moore went to the bench with 5 minutes left and didn’t return until the final
minute, hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.5 seconds left to lift the Lynx
to a 78-72 victory over New York on Friday night, spoiling the Liberty’s first
game in their new home – the Westchester County Center.
”I thought she was awful in the stretch when we subbed her out,” Reeve said.
”She didn’t have legs and didn’t look good. … Probably sat her longer than I
ordinarily would. I had to resist very strongly not to put her back in because,
you know it’s Maya Moore. We waited until exactly the right time.”
Moore, who finished with 20 points, agreed with her coach’s assessment.
”I wasn’t being tough enough to play defensively against a WNBA team. Everyone
is very talented and you have to be all out every minute. … When she put me
back in I was ready to go. I didn’t pout, stayed engaged.
With her team down by 72-71, Moore caught the ball at halfcourt out of a
timeout, dribbled to the top of the key swished a 3-pointer through the net.
”That was plan `C,”’ Moore said laughing about her pull-up 3.
Kia Nurse tried to respond for New York (0-2), but she missed a jumper and the
Lynx (2-1) hit four free throws in the final 13 seconds to seal the win. Seimone
Augustus scored 21 points to lead the Lynx (2-1).
Charles finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds for New York, which will play
all but two games at the arena, which houses the Knicks’ G-League team. The
County Center is configured to seat 2,319 fans for Liberty games with the option
to expand it to about 4,500. The Liberty drew an average of just over 9,000 last
year when they played at Madison Square Garden. Friday’s opener was a sellout.
”It’s different, but as a WNBA player we’re used to playing all over the
world,” Moore said of the new venue. ”As long as there’s two goals and a ball,
we’re fine. Glad we were able to open this location with a W for us. It’s going
to be a tough place to play for opponents to come in. Fans are on top of you and
it’s louder.”
Among the crowd was Liberty owner James Dolan, who put the team up for sale over
the winter but didn’t find a suitable buyer. The team is still up for sale.
Moving games from the Garden to Westchester saves him a lot of money.
Dolan, who has owned the team since its inception, sat on the baseline for the
first half with team president Isiah Thomas. WNBA President Lisa Borders was
also at the game, sitting at one of the courtside tables.
The County Center tried to have the feel of MSG with the same in-game
entertainment, including the ever-popular Timeless Torches senior dance team,
and of course the loveable mascot Maddie. Despite the smaller venue it was
certainly loud. They cheered when Marissa Coleman scored the Liberty’s first
points at their new home.
”I think we’re going to have great support in the Westchester community,
Charles said. ”Just what the New York Liberty management was able to do to make
it as close to the atmosphere and same feel as MSG.”
Charles then went on to say that as great as it was, it’s still not the Garden.
Then again, she said, ”Nowhere is. … MSG is in a whole nother realm to
itself.”
New York was trailing the defending champion Lynx 41-36 at the half before a
strong third quarter, led by Nurse, gave the Liberty a four-point lead heading
into the final period. New York was up 67-61 in the fourth before Minnesota
rallied.
The game also marked the home debut of coach Katie Smith, who took over as the
head coach this season after spending a few years as an assistant. New York was
missing guards Brittany Boyd (Achilles), Sugar Rodgers (knee) and Epiphanny
Prince (concussion). The Liberty also were still missing Kia Vaughn, who was
finishing up her overseas season.
