Lynx vs Liberty Live Stream: Start Time, TV Channel & Key Players in Tonight’s WNBA Showdown

August 10, 2025—Barclays Center, Brooklyn. The Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty renew their budding rivalry this afternoon in a nationally televised showdown that could reshape the WNBA playoff picture. Tip-off is set for 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with streaming available via WNBA League Pass and the ESPN app. Rivalry Week spotlight Today’s contest headlines the league’s Rivals Week slate, pitting two franchises that met in last year’s semifinals and split their first two meetings of 2025. New York took the Aug. 3 clash 92-78 behind Sabrina Ionescu’s 28 points, while Minnesota stole the June meeting 87-82 on Napheesa Collier’s late-game heroics. Standings and playoff stakes At 24-6, the Liberty enter Sunday holding the best record in the WNBA and a firm grip on the No. 1 overall seed. The Lynx, 19-11, sit fourth but only two games behind the Connecticut Sun for the coveted second seed, which carries home-court advantage through at least the semifinals. Breanna Stewart injury update Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart remains sidelined by a right knee sprain suffered July 26; the superstar told reporters she expects to return “before my birthday on Aug. 27,” but she will not suit up today. With Stewart out, head coach Sandy Brondello has leaned heavily on Jonquel Jones (18.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg over her last five) and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to carry the frontcourt load. Key matchups to watch • Jonquel Jones vs. Napheesa Collier: Collier ranks third in the league in scoring (23.4 ppg) and is a dark-horse MVP candidate. Jones’s size and rim protection will test Collier’s mid-post game. • Sabrina Ionescu vs. Courtney Williams: The Liberty’s three-point queen is averaging 4.1 made threes per contest; Williams, a veteran defender recently inserted into the Lynx starting lineup, must chase her through countless off-ball screens. • Bench production: Minnesota rookie Alissa Pili has hit 43 % from deep since the All-Star break, giving Cheryl Reeve the stretch-four she lacked in earlier matchups. New York counters with sharp-shooter Kayla Thornton and defensive ace Leonie Fiebich. How to watch and live-stream • TV: ABC (national) • Streaming: ESPN app, WNBA League Pass (blackouts lifted 3 hours post-game) • Radio: WFAN-FM 101.9 (NY), KFAN 100.3 (MIN) Betting odds and predictions Most sportsbooks list the Liberty as 5.5-point home favorites, with the over/under hovering around 167.5. The Lynx are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight road games, while the Liberty have covered just once in their past five at Barclays. Why this game matters A Lynx upset would tighten the race for the top two seeds and give Minnesota the season-series tiebreaker. For New York, a win keeps them on pace for the best record in franchise history and secures head-to-head dominance over a potential playoff foe. Projected starting lineups Liberty: Ionescu – Vandersloot – Laney-Hamilton – Jones – Stokes Lynx: Jefferson – McBride – Collier – Shepard – Juhász Bottom line Even without Breanna Stewart, “Lynx vs Liberty” remains must-see TV. Expect a high-tempo duel shaped by outside shooting, Collier’s versatility, and Jonquel Jones’s interior presence. With postseason positioning hanging in the balance, every possession will matter in Brooklyn this afternoon.