What happened: Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu credited New York's second unit for closing the first-round series. The victory made New York the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed.
Why it matters: The upset reorders the semifinal bracket and keeps New York alive in the 2026 title chase. A short rotation now gives way to depth as the separator in a longer series.
By the numbers: First No. 8-over-No. 1 series win in WNBA first-round history.
What to watch: New York awaits its semifinal opponent with seeding and schedule to be finalized.