The New York Liberty wrapped up their first-ever WNBA championship in a historic WNBA season. The Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in an intense Game 5 that went into overtime. This was the first time in WNBA history that the Finals featured two overtime games (including Game 1). This year, the league experienced its best numbers ever in terms of ratings, merchandise sales, social media interactions and arena sellouts, thanks in large part to Rookie of the YearCaitlin Clark, but the veteran All-Stars proved their worth and continued to contribute to the growth of the league for years to come.

Stephen Curry reacts to the Liberty win

The Liberty’s first championship victory prevented them from extending their lead for most Finals losses in history (5) and kept the Lynx from becoming the franchise with the most championships, currently tied with the Seattle Storm at 4. The Finals caught the attention of many NBA players, including LeBron James, who complained about the officiating (no surprise there), and Stephen Curry. Curry mocked his friend Sabrina Ionescu’s celebration, in which she suffered a cramp while posing with the trophy. Curry shared the video on his Instagram Stories, adding a bunch of laughing emojis.

The playful banter stems from their past competition in the NBA All-Star three-point shooting contest, which Curry won. While it’s fun to make fun of Sabrina, I’m going to throw some hate at it, because it’s worth noting that it had a somewhat inconsistent series, especially from beyond the arc. In Games 4 and 5 combined, she shot 6-34 (17.64%),, in Game 5, where she needed to step up her game the most, she scored only five points on 1-19 shooting, although she did contribute eight assists. If it weren’t for Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, who scored 17 points, the Liberty might have finished as runners-up for the second year in a row.

NBA Season Tips Off

Returning to Stephen Curry and the NBA, the season tips off tomorrow with two games. First, the defending champion Boston Celtics host the revamped New York Knicks, followed by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Western Conference runner-up Minnesota Timberwolves. Wednesday will feature 10 more games, including the Golden State Warriors visiting the Portland Trail Blazers, the Milwaukee Bucks visiting the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Phoenix Suns taking on the Los Angeles Clippers in the inaugural game at the new Intuit Dome, the world’s newest and most modern $2 billion arena. The NBA is finally back.