Liberty top Aces 88-84 to take a 2-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals and put the champs on the brink
Sabrina Ionescu and her teammates from New York have downplayed the significance of their position on the verge of defeating the Aces. They believe that their objectives remain unfulfilled.
Ionescu contributed 24 points to the Liberty's 88-84 victory over Las Vegas on Tuesday night, establishing a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five semifinal series.
“While being up 2-0 is certainly positive, we have not secured any victories yet,” Ionescu stated. “This is well understood. We accomplished what we aimed for by defending our home court and winning both games here. We are not indulging in self-congratulation or expressing excessive joy. Our goal was not merely to win two home games; we are a team that is eager for more.”
The third game is scheduled for Friday night in Las Vegas, where the two-time defending champions, the Aces, will seek to avoid defeat against the team that triumphed over them in last year's WNBA Finals.
“We successfully defended our home court, and now we aim to compete in Vegas,” remarked Liberty coach Sandy Brondello. “We perform well on the road, and they excel at home.”
Statistically, New York holds an advantage.
In the history of the WNBA playoffs, no team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five series. The only instance of a team forcing a Game 5 after such a deficit occurred in 2018, when Phoenix faced Seattle.
Aces forward Alysha Clark emphasized the importance of the series, stating, “There’s a reason it’s a series; you don’t win a championship with just two victories. I have experienced playoffs where I’ve been both ahead and behind, and this series is far from over.”
The game was tied at 81 when Ionescu made a jumper with 1:15 remaining, giving New York a slight edge. Both teams had opportunities to score before Ionescu committed a foul against Tiffany Hayes with 16.9 seconds left following a jump ball.
Hayes converted the first of her two free throws, narrowing the gap to one point. New York secured the rebound, and Ionescu was fouled with 11.6 seconds on the clock, making only one of her free throws to extend the lead to 84-82.
Las Vegas had a chance to equalize, but the ball went out of bounds on the sideline with 10.5 seconds remaining. After New York challenged the call, the officials reversed their decision, awarding possession to the Liberty.
Ionescu, who scored seven of the Liberty’s last nine points, then made two free throws, establishing a two-possession lead.
“During critical moments, she rises to the occasion and does not shy away,” remarked Liberty center Jonquel Jones.
A’ja Wilson responded with a jumper with 5.6 seconds left, but Breanna Stewart quickly followed with two free throws, effectively securing the victory.
“It was tight in the final moments, but they executed better than we did,” stated Aces coach Becky Hammon.
Following Game 1, Hammon had described Tuesday’s matchup as a “do or die” situation.
“Did I say it was a must-win? I was joking,” the coach said with a laugh after the game. “Just trying to add some drama.”
Stewart concluded the game with 15 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.
Wilson led the Aces with 24 points, while Jackie Young contributed 17.
The Liberty entered the final quarter with a 69-62 lead, but the Aces, fueled by Wilson, managed to tie the game at 81 with Clark’s three-pointer at 1:31 remaining.
After a challenging start in Game 1, the Aces surged to a 27-22 lead by the end of the first quarter, thanks to a strong performance from Chelsea Gray, who had only four points in the previous loss.
In the Game 1 defeat, she managed only four points, prompting Hammon to indicate that a conversation with her star guard was necessary. In response, Gray came out with determination, scoring 10 points within the first 10 minutes.
The match saw both teams exchanging leads, with Las Vegas ahead 40-37 with 2:33 remaining in the half. However, Ionescu made two three-pointers, complemented by a three-point play from Kayla Thornton, allowing New York to take a 46-40 lead at halftime, which elicited enthusiastic applause from the sellout audience that included notable figures such as Carmelo Anthony, Alicia Keys, Robin Roberts, Colin Kaepernick, and Gayle King.
Also present was Liberty legend Teresa Weatherspoon, who had recently been dismissed as the coach of the Chicago Sky. She received a warm ovation from the crowd when her image appeared on the video screen during the fourth quarter.
The interest in the series extends beyond the arena, as Game 1 attracted an average television viewership of 929,000, marking the highest ratings for a WNBA semifinal in 22 years.
The Aces faced a setback when center Kiah Stokes was injured with 9.5 seconds left in the third quarter. While pursuing a loose ball out of bounds, she fell heavily after committing a loose ball foul and remained on the ground for several minutes before being assisted to the locker room. The team reported that she may have sustained a concussion.
“It’s a head injury at this point,” Hammon stated. “We will monitor her closely, but I do not have further information to provide.”
SportsLigue