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The New York Liberty had every reason to lose their Saturday matinee with the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. Instead, Sabrina Ionescu and company outlasted the only team ahead of them in the WNBA standings, winning 82-75 to improve to 10-2.
“We understood this was a huge game for us, a statement game,” Ionescu said. “They're undefeated, it's huge for the Commissioner Cup, and so we came in regardless of how ugly the game was looking, how sloppy it was at times, we just stayed poised and played our style of basketball. And I think it's a testament to us. It shows that no matter what adversity we're facing, how we're feeling, we can come out and compete with the best teams in the league.”
The Liberty were down two players — Nyara Sabally, who is still fighting a back injury, and Courtney Vandersloot, who has missed the last two games due to a personal matter. They were also playing their fourth game in six days and the first game of a back-to-back. Most importantly, their opponent was undefeated and playing at home.
None of that mattered.
New York has now won six games in a row and has continued its best start in franchise history after sweeping their three-city, five-day road trip.
The Liberty have been far from perfect. On Saturday, they became just the fifth team in WNBA history to go an entire game without a single offensive rebound. Oddly, such teams are 4-1 in those games, according to Her Hoop Stats’ Richard Cohen.
The Liberty have epitomized adaptability
As has become custom, the Liberty jumped out to an early double-digit lead, only to see it evaporate in the second quarter. Breanna Stewart, who had 25-plus-point double-doubles in each of her last two games, struggled. Alyssa Thomas frustrated her all game, dogging her with the ball and throwing the ball out of bounds on Stewart in consecutive possessions in the second quarter.
Stewart is the reigning MVP, so she still managed 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, but a heavier burden fell on Ionescu and Jonquel Jones.
Jones hit three threes in the fourth quarter — two off Stewart assists — in a 22-point, eight-rebound, five-assist effort. Though she was able to get a few buckets in the paint early on, Jones had to do most of her damage away from the basket.
“Just trying to keep the game as simple as possible: If someone's open give them the ball, not overthinking it,” Jones said. “I think the next area of growth will be…when teams pressure me, just being able to get downhill so I can keep them honest because it gets a little frantic up there.”
Ionescu scored 24 herself but took pride in being able to do more than just score against the best defensive team in the WNBA (69.3 points allowed per game). The Liberty had to move more on offense — something the team has tried to do more anyway — and eventually found success, though they worked the shot clock down in a way they’ve often forced opponents to do this season.
“I usually make shots that I missed tonight,” Ionescu said. “Coming off being a shooting threat, it just allowed me to be able to find [Betnijah Laney-Hamilton] cutting downhill, JJ spacing for a three, Stewie in the corner for a three when we needed it. I think it was just staying patient.”
That patience paid off for everyone. Through a clinic of cuts, screens, and precision passes, the Liberty were able to become only the third team this season to break 80 on the Sun in regulation.
“When you're playing against a defense like Connecticut’s, you have to make them move because they load everything up and they kind of force you to make those extra passes,” Jones added.
Jonquel Jones played winning defense
Perhaps no nugget sums up the Liberty's defensive effort better than the Connecticut Sun's futility against Jones. The Sun went just 1-16 on shots that she contested, per ESPN tracking, and the Liberty forward finished the game with four blocks. She became the first player in Liberty history to have a game of at least 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four blocks, according to Across the Timeline.
“It's a wonderful luxury to have someone like JJ on our team,” head coach Sandy Brondello said. “She does so much…she anchors our defense close to the rim [with her] ability to change shots and rebound.”
The game was similar to the battles the Liberty and Sun played last year, but one main difference on Connecticut's side is that the Sun now have Brionna Jones back to compete with Jonquel Jones inside. Brionna played only 13 games last year before an Achilles injury ended her season.
“I think last year we had a definite advantage in the post [last year],” Jonquel Jones explained. “But [Brionna] coming back in gives them a bigger body, and someone that can bang more in the post and someone that's more comfortable down there. We knew we wanted to find ways to make her move a little more.”
Somehow, this marathon run isn’t over for the Liberty. They’ll return home on Sunday to face the winless Washington Mystics for the third time this season and the second time in 10 days. A win will virtually guarantee home-court advantage in the Commissioner's Cup title game, so even though the Mystics are 0 for the season, there's plenty to get fired up for.
