Sabrina Ionescu Leads Liberty Past Lynx in Dominant Playoff Victory
Ionescu overcomes past struggles with a strong performance to help New York advance.
Sabrina Ionescu put past struggles behind her with a dominant Game 2 performance, scoring 18 points and making four 3-pointers to help the New York Liberty clinch their playoff series against the Minnesota Lynx with an 87-71 victory on Tuesday. Ionescu also contributed seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals in nearly 33 minutes of play.
"That's kind of the best place to be as a shooter," Ionescu said after the game, referring to her clear mind as she began to heat up. She had previously dealt with injuries and difficult stretches during the season.
Teammate Rebecca Allen noted that a night like Tuesday can significantly boost a player's confidence, but also emphasized Ionescu's impact even when her shot is not falling. "She's a magnet for defenses," Allen said. "Whether she's hitting those shots, she's creating open ones for everyone else too because she's really drawing attention all the time. That can't be undersold... She draws so much attention."
Stewart's Strong Showing
Breanna Stewart also played a key role in the victory, despite an incident where she took a hard foul to the face from Olivia Miles. As officials reviewed the play, which was upgraded to a flagrant 1 foul, Stewart engaged the crowd, prompting MVP chants. "To see her get up and get the crowd involved like that, it was exciting," Jonquel Jones commented.
Lynx's Challenges
For the Lynx, rookie Olivia Miles struggled in the game, finishing with five points, one assist, and two turnovers in 16 minutes. She was largely benched for the second half. "Clearly she's not a complete player yet," said Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. Miles had missed the final two games of the regular season due to a calf injury.
The Lynx faced uncertainty regarding their core players' future, with Napheesa Collier set to become a free agent this offseason. Collier contributed 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting in the game. The team's trio of Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams shared an embrace on the court as the game concluded, leaving questions about their future together without a championship title.