Of course it will be five.

The 2024 WNBA Finals were a rollercoaster of close finishes and big games. So it’s only fitting that one of the most exciting championship series in recent memory will go the distance. The Minnesota Lynx’s 82-80 Game 4 victory Friday against the New York Liberty set up a winner-take-all showdown Sunday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Barclays Center.

Unlike the historic comebacks that defined Games 1 and 3, Game 4 was a back-and-forth affair, with 14 lead changes and 13 ties. No team led by more than six points.

New York had a chance to take the lead in the final minute, but missed three shots in one possession, which ended in a shot clock violation. It looked like a second overtime game of this final was imminent, but Bridget Carleton was fouled with 2.0 seconds left after getting an offensive rebound on a missed shot by Courtney Williams. The Lynx forward hit both free throws to give Minnesota the lead for good and send the series back to New York.

ESPN breaks down how the Lynx tied the series and what to expect in what should be an iconic end to Sunday’s finale.

WNBA Finals Game 4s in a New York uniform were not kind to Stewart. After shooting 3-for-17 from the field a year ago as the Las Vegas Aces captured the title, Stewart’s night Friday was almost as tough. She scored 11 points on 5-for-21 shooting (and missed all four 3-point attempts) — one game after Stewart was the dominant force on Wednesday with 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Minnesota’s defense is the biggest reason there will be a Game 5. The Lynx previously sent more defensemen to Stewart on Friday. Whenever she caught the ball inside the three-point line, Stewart had to deal with two defenders, one to prevent a quick release, the other to cut off a lane. It was a case of an experienced coach implementing a game plan that only a smart and team-oriented defense could execute on possession after possession.

Stewart did get some open looks she missed, but the Lynx – led by Napheesa Collier, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year – deserve most of the credit. — Cream

Sandy Brondello was critical of Friday’s performance, saying, “We didn’t get any calls.” Did the referee influence the outcome of Game 4?

No team won or lost due to the wide disparity Friday. Stewart was the only player to get into trouble and she still managed to play 33 minutes. Yes, Minnesota had more chances at the free-throw line, but Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu’s shooting woes (a combined 10-for-36 from the field, 0-for-9 from 3) had more to do with the Liberty’s inability to to close the line. out. New York had three shots on its last full offensive possession and could not convert any of them.

Brondello might have wanted to respond after Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve called out the referee during interviews the night before, but she’ll be more focused on cleaning things up offensively and helping her team overcome some of their turnover issues – which continued into Friday’s game (16 turnovers for 19 points). — Filippou

What impact did the role players have on Game 4?

Remarkably, Minnesota got its biggest win of the season with zero points in the fourth quarter from Collier or Williams. Kayla McBride had a good night with a team-leading 19 points, but was quiet in the second half with just five. Alanna Smith and Carleton scored seven of Minnesota’s final nine points to earn the clutch. They each finished with 12 points and combined for 11 rebounds. The Lynx even got an important 10 minutes defensively from Dorkha Juhasz, who played just two minutes in the previous three games.

That New York nearly left Minnesota with a championship despite Stewart’s tough night is a testament to the contributions of Leonie Fiebich, who had 19 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. — Cream

Cecilia Zandalasini delivered another clutch performance. The Minnesota forward finished with a plus-6 plus/minus (with six points and four rebounds in 16 minutes). She is the only player from the 2017 Lynx championship team still on the roster and returns to the league after a five-year hiatus.

“Ceci is tough. Going through a stretch of games where she might not be contributing the way she wants to contribute, and then we had a Ceci sighting recently at shootaround, and these last two games have really helped us.” Reeve said Friday. ‘We’ve always tried to get her back here. The timing was right for this one and it was a great fit for us.” — Filippou

Stewart has a history of bouncing back. What do you expect from her on Sunday?

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Stewart looked completely different on Sunday. In the regular season, her lowest point total in a match was eight points. Two days later she had 31 points and 10 rebounds. An 11-point game late in the season was followed by 38 the next. Stewart’s low for the playoffs was 13 in Game 2 against Atlanta in the first round – she then opened the semifinal against Las Vegas with 34 points.

At this point, a bounce-back game is almost a calling card. Stewart may not reach 30 points in Game 5, but she will be much better. — Cream

Who has the advantage in Game 5?

In a series like this, “who knows” might be the safest answer. Both teams have a lot of positives to take away from Friday. Minnesota won despite not getting a great game from Collier. The Lynx will also have gained more confidence in how they can contain Stewart. Smith looked healthy after a back injury in Game 3. That should make Reeve more confident in her rotations and bench minutes.

The Liberty can take solace in the fact that they almost stole one, while Stewart had one of the worst games of her career. They also know that she is a counter-puncher who often finds a way to bounce back. Jones also played more confidently.

Momentum? Edge to Minnesota. Home court? Edge to New York. Toss a coin and hope Game 5 is as entertaining as the previous four. — Cream

It should be New York back on its home court, but given the way the first four games of the series have gone, I don’t think anything would surprise me at this point. — Filippou