The 2025 Minnesota Lynx revenge tour was in full effect entering Barclays Center: last year’s WNBA Final runner-ups flaunted a league-best 28-5 record and remained undefeated (3-0) against defending champion Liberty.

And Tuesday night was a perfect opportunity for the Lynx to send a message that 2025 is their year. A 4-0 regular-season sweep to a potential playoff opponent — one that eliminated you in a thrilling do-or-die WNBA Finals Game 5 — would let the Liberty know a playoff rematch is welcomed and could go much different a year ago.

But the Liberty too felt Tuesday night was a perfect opportunity to send a message — a 85-75 victory while shorthanded to avoid a regular-season sweep.

The dagger was served by Sabrina Ionescu, who dribbled the ball steps away from halfcourt as the sho

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