Liberty put historic collapse behind them as they prepare to face Lynx in Game 2

This was an unprecedented comeback to win a WNBA playoff game, rising up from 15 down with five minutes left in regulation. And therefore on the other side, it was the worst collapse en route to losing a playoff game under those circumstances in WNBA history.

The Liberty looked like they were about to claim Game 1 of the Finals over Minnesota Thursday night at Barclays Center. Teams ahead by at least 15 in the postseason with five minutes remaining had gone a perfect 183-0.

Make it 183-1. The Liberty still could have won it in four quarters after falling behind by one. But Breanna Stewart could only go 1-for-2 from the line with 0.8 showing on the clock, and they ended up losing 95-93 in OT on Napheesa Collier’s 13-foot fadeaway jumper with 8.8 seconds to go.

“It was the craziest sporting event I’ve been a part of [or] watched,” Collier said Saturday.

The Liberty had been up by 18 in the second quarter, so it also matched the best comeback and worst collapse overall in a WNBA Finals game.

So how do you pick your chin up off the court after that type of historic loss and be ready to rebound in Game 2 on Sunday afternoon at Barclays? Well, the Liberty insisted after Saturday’s practice that they had moved on.

“I think we’ve shaken it off,” Stewart said. “Like, it’s one game. We know this is a series, and we have another amazing crowd coming on Sunday to help us get back in the right direction in the win column.”

They’re still clinging to the hope of putting a “3” in the win column and emerging with the 28-year-old franchise’s first championship.

“Obviously, don’t panic,” coach Sandy Brondello said. “That’s the big thing.”

No WNBA team has ever climbed out of a 0-2 hole to survive in a best-of-five. So the Liberty can’t afford to have a hangover. Sabrina Ionescu said she isn’t worried, that they have “responded really well all year.”

“It’s on to the next,” Ionescu said. “You can’t really dwell on the last one.”

The Lynx also can’t really dwell on their thrill ride that ended so well. They need to move on, too.

“It’s a huge high,” Collier said. “Like I said, I’ve never experienced something like that. But then also [it’s] recognizing how much harder it’s going to make Game 2 because they feel they gave that one away.

“So the mentality they’re going to come in with in Game 2, we have to match and exceed that. So we’re definitely not taking it for granted.”

It wasn’t like the Liberty did everything wrong.

They built those big leads in both halves. They outrebounded Minnesota 44-32, including 20-5 on the offensive glass.

And they could have escaped if Stewart had gone 2-for-2 at the line instead of 1-for-2, but it obviously came down to a lot more than that.

“She didn’t lose the game,” Brondello said. “We lost that before. It’s no one’s fault. It’s all of our faults. This is sport. It hurts. But Stewie’s fine. … She’s still one of the greatest players of all time.”

That said, the Liberty could use Stewart to shoot better than 6-for-21, not easy when Collier, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, is on duty. They could also use Ionescu to shoot better than 8-for-26.

They will need to adjust better if Minnesota keeps switching defensively, and they will need to defend better.

They haven’t gotten much production in the postseason from Betnijah-Laney-Hamilton, who underwent knee surgery in July. But that may not improve.

“B wasn’t moving very good,” Brondello said. “… She’s giving whatever she can. It’s not the same B that we’ve seen all season long.”

Asked what’s the thing that really needs to be better in order to take Game 2, Stewart said, “Pace, I think if we control the pace.

“You look at it and it’s like, wow, we really had so many rebounds. We talked about limiting turnovers. That wasn’t our problem. But we got a little stagnant offensively. If we’re able to push in transition, it makes it harder for them to set up their defense.”