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The New York Liberty erased a 15-point deficit in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, and while Sabrina Ionescu's game-winning shot with one second left will deservingly get the most attention, Breanna Stewart made the win possible with her efforts to close the gap, and Ionescu made that clear when speaking on the comeback.
“We don't win this game without Stewie,” Sabrina Ionescu said, via Michael Voepel of ESPN.
Breanna Stewart scored 14 points in the third quarter to make the score 62-61 entering the fourth. Overall in the game, Stewart put up 30 points on 9-of-20 shooting and 2-of-6 from three. She also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots. She was clearly the best player for the Liberty and is a huge reason why the franchise is one win away from its first championship.
Sabrina Ionescu steps up when needed for the Liberty
Ionescu put up a pedestrian stat line for her standard, scoring 13 on 5-of-12 shooting a 3-of-8 from three, while recording six assists as well. Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich also scored 13. Still, Ionescu stepped up when New York needed it, hitting what could be the most important shot in Liberty history, as Ryan Ruocco put it on the broadcast. Ionescu said that is a scenario she prepares for all offseason and before games.
“I would say I visualize a lot when I'm practicing in the offseason, the night before a game, the day of a game,” Ionescu said, via Voepel. “I'm always visualizing different scenarios and putting myself in tough situations. Obviously, I didn't play my best tonight, but finding a way to continue to stick with it … I feel like that's been a big growth for me, whether the ball is going in or not.”
Ionescu hit another big three-point shot earlier in the fourth quarter to put the Liberty up four. The Lynx did tie the game, but it still was a massive shot at the time.
This Game 3 effort from the Liberty gives many a feeling of redemption for blowing a big lead in Game 1 of the series. The pressure is now on the Lynx to get a win at home and force a winner-take-all Game 5 in New York. Game 4 will take place on Friday night in Minnesota at 8 p.m. ET, and a potential Game 5 would take place on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. The Liberty are one win away from the first championship they have waited so long for.
