Sabrina Ionescu Leads Liberty to Game 1 Comeback Win vs. Candace Parker, Sky
Aug 18, 2022
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 17: New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) in action during the first half of a WNBA first round game between the New York Liberty and the Chicago Sky on August 17, 2022, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The defending champions are officially on the ropes.
The New York Liberty stunned the Chicago Sky with a 98-91 victory on the road in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series at Wintrust Arena on Wednesday. Since the first round is a best-of-three affair, Chicago will need to win two straight—including a decisive Game 3 on the road—to preserve its title defense.
It seemed as if the Sky would cruise to a victory with a 91-85 lead with less than four minutes remaining, but New York closed the game on a 13-0 run.
Sabrina Ionescu led the way with a three-pointer and pull-up during that sequence and finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals behind 8-of-12 shooting from the field.
Her performance drew plenty of reaction:
All year, Sandy Brondello has compared Sabrina Ionescu to Diana Taurasi. On the road, in the playoffs, you can see why. #WNBAPlayoffs@TheNextHoops
Ionescu used her speed to push the pace and was a willing passer whenever Chicago trapped and doubled her. Yet it was far from a solo effort, as Natasha Howard poured in 22 points while playing strong, physical defense throughout the contest.
Stefanie Dolson was also a matchup problem with her ability to stretch the floor from the frontcourt and added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Betnijah Laney did a little bit of everything on her way to 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.
It was a rather shocking finish considering almost all of Chicago's star-studded roster seemed to be playing well for most of the game. Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot, Kahleah Copper and Azurá Stevens all impressed at times, and the veteran group looked well on the way to another clutch playoff performance.
And then the Sky collapsed down the stretch.
The Liberty will look to close the series out in Chicago in Game 2 on Saturday.
Sabrina Ionescu Becomes 1st WNBA Player with 500 PTS, 200 REB, 200 AST in 1 Season
Aug 7, 2022
BROOKLYN, NY - AUGUST 2: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty dribbles the ball against the Los Angeles Sparks on August 2, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Sabrina Ionescu is in just her third season with the New York Liberty, and she is already etching her name into the history books.
During the first quarter of the Liberty's game against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, Ionescu became the first player in WNBA history to record more than 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in a single season.
The assist that MADE history 📚@sabrina_i20 becomes the first player in #WNBA history to reach 500+ PTS, 200+ REB, and 200+ AST in a single season 🙌 pic.twitter.com/h5HAg4HACc
This is only the latest milestone in what is sure to be a legendary career for Ionescu.
The 24-year-old made some history just six days ago in the Liberty's 89-69 win over the Phoenix Mercury by becoming the fourth player in WNBA history to record at least 16 assists in a game, joining Courtney Vandersloot, Sue Bird and Ticha Penicheiro.
In addition, she recorded the third triple-double of her career in a July 7 win over the Las Vegas Aces with 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, tying her with Candace Parker for the most in a WNBA career.
Ionescu also became the first WNBA player in history to record a 30-point triple-double in that game.
The Liberty selected Ionescu first overall in the 2020 WNBA draft out of Oregon. She appeared in just three games during her rookie season before suffering a Grade 3 left ankle sprain and being ruled out for the remainder of the year.
Ionescu returned in 2021 and averaged 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 30 games while shooting 37.9 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from deep. It was a difficult season for the California native, who continued to suffer from the ankle injury that plagued her as a rookie.
She admitted to reporters during Liberty training camp in April that she should not have played last season while still nursing the injury:
"Don't play if you're not healthy. That's probably the main thing that I've learned is it's a long game and it was my second year and thank God that I didn't get more injured or get a different injury, but sometimes playing through it isn't always the right way."
Now that Ionescu is fully healed from her ankle ailment, she is reaping the benefits. Entering Saturday', she was averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists through 31 games while shooting 41.6 percent from the floor and 34.9 percent from deep.
However, despite Ionescu's best efforts, the Liberty entered Saturday fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 13-18 record. That said, the team is still on pace to capture a playoff spot.
Sabrina Ionescu Becomes 4th WNBA Player with 16 Assists in Game; Sets Liberty Record
Jul 31, 2022
BROOKLYN, NY - JULY 31: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on July 31, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Sabrina Ionescu had a game to remember in the New York Liberty's 89-69 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday.
Ionescu finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and a franchise-record 16 assists.
Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) becomes the 4th player in WNBA history to have at least 16 assists in a single game - joining Courtney Vandersloot, Sue Bird, & Ticha Penicheiro 👏 pic.twitter.com/himtetlLAY
The Liberty playmaker was two dimes away from tying the WNBA's single-game record. Courtney Vandersloot and Ticha Penicheiro are the only other players to dish out 16 assists in the regular season, and Sue Bird hit that mark in a 2020 WNBA Finals game.
Liberty star Natasha Howard told reporters after the game Ionescu's distribution "adds a lot" to the team.
"Any game we play, they're gonna try to trap Sabrina and get the ball out of her hand," she said. "With us moving without the ball, it's good. I'm proud that she got 16 assists off the players she got the ball off to."
With the win, New York improved to 11-18 and now sits 1.5 games back of the Los Angeles Sparks for the final playoff berth. Head coach Sandy Brondello will need Ionescu to continue leading the way in order for the team to climb into a postseason position.
Sabrina Ionescu Ties Candace Parker's Career WNBA Triple-Doubles Record vs. Liberty
Jul 7, 2022
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts against the Connecticut Sun in the second half during a WNBA basketball game, Saturday, May 7, 2022, in New York. The Liberty won 81-79. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu
is back level with Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker atop the WNBA's
all-time triple-double leaderboard after tallying 31 points, 13
rebounds and 10 assists in Wednesday's road win over the Las Vegas
Aces.
Ionescu and Parker each have three
triple-doubles, with the Sky star holding the record to herself for
just two weeks after regaining the top spot on June 23.
The Liberty cornerstone answered back
with a spectacular performance that saw her become the first WNBA
player to accomplish two feats as part of a triple-double: at least
30 points and no turnovers, per ESPN's Mechelle Voepel.
"I'm just trying to be the best
that I can every time I step out on the floor," Ionescu said. "It's
me versus me. I'm trying to get better and continue to learn from all
the situations that I've been put in."
Ionescu is in the midst of a breakout
season, averaging 17.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.1
steals across 21 appearances.
It's the type of All-Star play that was
expected when the Liberty selected her with the first overall pick in
the 2020 draft, but she was limited to three games as a rookie
because of an ankle injury and then endured an up-and-down 2021 season.
Now she's playing like an MVP
candidate, though she's more focused on trying to help the Liberty
turn a corner after a sluggish start to the campaign.
"As long as we win, it doesn't
matter, but I'm trying to be the best that I can in all aspects of
the game," Ionescu told reporters after Wednesday's victory.
New York currently sits ninth in the
WNBA standings with a 9-12 record, and the top eight squads qualify
for the playoffs. The team has 15 games left in the regular season.
Although there's plenty of time left
for movement up the standings—the Liberty are just one game
behind sixth—it's worth pointing out the Sky sit atop the WNBA
with a 15-6 mark, creating a path to a possible first-round showdown
between Ionescu and Parker.
For now, they'll probably spend the
remainder of the campaign trading the triple-double record back and
forth.
Warriors' Steph Curry Shouts out Sabrina Ionescu for Using 'Night Night' Celebration
Jun 25, 2022
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts against the Connecticut Sun in the second half during a WNBA basketball game, Saturday, May 7, 2022, in New York. The Liberty won 81-79. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Golden State Warriors superstar and reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry gave a proverbial tip of the cap to New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu on Saturday.
After knocking down a deep three to cement New York's 89-77 win over the Atlanta Dream on Friday, Ionescu did Curry's "night night" celebration:
The eight-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion and two-time NBA MVP liked what he saw, tweeting acknowledgement and a congratulatory message to Ionescu:
While Curry is a surefire future Hall of Famer, Ionescu is early in her WNBA career, although she is on a path to greatness.
The 24-year-old was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft following a dominant collegiate career at Oregon that saw her earn the 2020 Naismith Player of the Year award and set an all-time record for most career triple-doubles.
Injuries limited Ionescu to just three games as a rookie, and she struggled with offensive efficiency last season, but she has finally hit her stride in 2022.
Ionescu is averaging 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.3 three-pointers made and 1.2 steals in 18 games, plus she is shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc.
As a result, Ionescu was named an All-Star for the first time this season, perhaps foreshadowing many more All-Star nods in her future.
Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu 1st WNBA Player Ever to Record Triple-Double in 3 Quarters
Jun 12, 2022
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 5: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty looks on/ during the game against the Minnesota Lynx on June 5, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)
New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu filled up the stat sheet in Sunday's 88-86 defeat to the Chicago Sky.
In addition to becoming the fourth player in WNBA history to record multiple triple-doubles, the third-year guard is the first player to post a triple-double through just three quarters.
She dropped 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the loss.
Ionescu was the most hyped rookie since Breanna Stewart in 2016 when she entered the WNBA in 2020.
An ankle injury limited her to three games in her first season and continued to affect her into the 2021 season as well. As a result, the NCAA all-time leader in triple-doubles wasn't the dynamic presence she had been at Oregon.
Amid a seven-game losing streak that sent the Liberty to the bottom of the WNBA, though, Ionescu began to turn the corner.
Entering Sunday, she was averaging 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists. More importantly, her shooting has taken a big step forward. She shot 37.9 percent overall and 32.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2021, and those numbers are up to 46.1 and 36.7 percent, respectively, in 2022.
Ionescu's development could have significant ramifications for the Liberty.
New York made a run at Stewart in the offseason before the 2018 MVP re-signed with the Seattle Storm. Stewart will be a free agent again in 2023, and one would presume the Liberty will try their best once again to bring the Syracuse native closer to home.
With Ionescu looking like a true franchise cornerstone, the Liberty are bound to be more appealing to Stewart or any other marquee star on the market. That's quite the change from when New York was languishing to close out May.
AD Traded from Liberty to Dream for Megan Walker, Raquel Carrera
Jun 8, 2022
BROOKLYN, NY - MAY 13: AD Durr #25 of the New York Liberty looks on before the game against the Indiana Fever on May 13, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images)
The New York Liberty traded AD to the Atlanta Dream for Megan Walker and the rights to 2021 second-round draft pick Raquel Carrera.
"We are excited fort the opportunity to add AD to our roster," Dream head coach Tanisha Wright said. "We understand the obstacles AD has fought through to get back to playing basketball, and we look forward to teaming up with them and continuing that journey. AD’s talent speaks for itself, and we think there is no better place to unlock it than here in their home state."
AD is averaging 1.4 points and 0.4 assists in their first year back since 2019.
Walker is putting up 3.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. Rachel Galligan of Just Women's Sports reported the Liberty are expected to waive the 2020 first-round pick.
Jackie Powell of The Next reported New York is finalizing a deal with Marine Johannes. Walker's departure would free up a roster spot for the French guard.
Johannes averaged 7.2 points and shot 37.9 percent from three-point range in her first year with the Liberty in 2019.
More than anything, this resolves a dilemma for the Liberty that Powell outlined in May.
AD missed two full seasons after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Beyond the physical effects, the virus exacted a mental toll that impacted the 25-year-old's game.
"COVID has really thrown everything off, so now I have to retrain my brain to do everything," they told Powell. "It's kind of like I tell people how you're like you’re paralyzed and you're trying to learn how to walk again. That's kind of how it is now. And it's learning how to think, something so simple as thinking and doing something while you're thinking."
The Liberty have done their best to help AD play themselves back into game shape and rediscover their feel on the court. Injuries to DiDi Richards, Betnijah Laney and Jocelyn Willoughby forced head coach Sandy Brondello to lean on AD more than she probably expected.
But the early results haven't been promising amid a disappointing 4-8 start for the Liberty.
The scarcity of roster spots available in the WNBA—teams are capped at 12 players and in some cases can only carry 11 in order to stay under the salary cap—made it difficult to justify keeping AD on the squad. That was especially true for New York given its injury situation and need to improve its ninth-place standing.
When she arrives, Johannes is likely to make more of a difference over the rest of the season.
AD, a native of Douglasville, Georgia, will now get to play closer to home. And while the Dream sit fifth in the WNBA at 7-5, they're also in a period of transition as they build around Rhyne Howard. Atlanta is better positioned to let AD have the rest of the year to rediscover their form.
Abortion-Rights Activists Get Pulled Off Court During Lynx vs. Liberty
Jun 8, 2022
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 7: Natasha Howard #6 of the New York Liberty shoots a three point basket during the game against the Minnesota Lynx on June 7, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images)
During the middle of Tuesday's game between the WNBA's New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx at Barclays Center, activists took to the court and stands to rally support for abortion rights.
The activists received an ovation from the crowd before security pulled them off the court, one even being dragged by the hair at one point.
WTF to, HELL YEAHHHHH!! standing ovation for the protesters at barclays tonight!!
This comes in the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft majority opinion seemingly poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. The 1973 decision recognized a constitutional right to abortion at the federal level.
This is also one of a number of protests that have occurred at sporting events in recent months.
During a French Open semifinal match between Casper Ruud and Marin Cilic last week, a climate-change activist tied themselves to the net wearing a shirt that read "We have 1028 days left."
Before that, a person glued themselves to the court during a Minnesota Timberwolves game in protest of team owner Glen Taylor, whose egg farm killed chickens because of a bird flu outbreak, according to TNT's Allie LaForce.
Liberty's Asia Durr Cleared to Play After Missing 2 Seasons Because of COVID-19
Nov 16, 2021
New York Liberty's Asia Durr during the second half of a preseason WNBA basketball game, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
New York Liberty star Asia Durr announced Monday on Instagram Live she has been cleared to return to the WNBA.
On IG Live, @A_Hooper25 just announced that she has officially been CLEARED to play basketball again! She has missed the past two #WNBA seasons while suffering the long-hauler effects of COVID. Incredible news for Asia, for the @nyliberty, and for basketball fans. #OwnTheCrownpic.twitter.com/m1FoQIvYJz
The 5'10" guard has missed the past two seasons due to prolonged effects from COVID-19. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft, she averaged 9.7 points and 1.7 assists as a rookie.
With the league planning to stage an abbreviated 2020 season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Durr announced that July she was opting out because of a "complicated and arduous" recovery from COVID-19:
In an interview with HBO's Real Sports that aired in January, she detailed more about her complications.
"I couldn't breathe. I was spitting up blood," she said (via Sports Illustrated's Michael Shapiro). "[I had] lung pain that was just so severe. It felt like somebody took a long knife and was stabbing you in your lungs each second. I woke up two o'clock in the morning vomiting, going back and forth to the bathroom."
The former Louisville standout also said she had lost 32 pounds.
Citing a "personal decision," the Liberty placed Durr on the full season suspended list in May, which meant she'd be out for the entirety of the year.
That status allowed New York to roll Durr's contract over to 2022. Per Her Hoops Stats, she's due to earn $72,141 before hitting restricted free agency in 2023.
The team has undergone a lot of changes since her last appearance in August 2019.
Sabrina Ionescu is positioned as the franchise cornerstone. Betnijah Laney built upon her 2020 Most Improved Player Award to make her first All-Star team in 2021. Sami Whitcomb thrived in a larger role than she typically occupied with the Seattle Storm. DiDi Richards more than warranted her regular role in the rotation.
None of those four was on the team in 2019, and they all figure to remain consistent contributors in 2022. Carving out her place on the Liberty could be difficult for Durr.
But simply having the opportunity to play represents a major step forward following her ordeal.
