Sunday was a day to remember for New York Liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu. For one, she finally won her first WNBA title when New York defeated the Minnesota Lynx at Barclays Center, 67-62. Then there was the hilarious but painful moment she found herself in while posing for photos with the WNBA Finals trophy.
While in the middle of a photoshoot, Ionescu suddenly experienced cramps in her left leg. She immediately grabbed her leg before laying on her back in pain.
Adding to the hilarity of the moment was Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello giving Ionescu some faux emergency CPR.
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Ionescu and the Liberty surely can laugh it all off. If anything, her cramps only added another unforgettable bit to the whole championship experience.
Liberty won despite Sabrina Ionescu's cold shooting
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Ionescu's cramps can perhaps underscore how hard the Liberty worked for their victory. Although Ionescu had a completely cold night offensively, she still played 40 minutes of basketball and really tried to find her shot all game long. The former Oregon Ducks guard scored just five points in Game 5 while having an atrocious 1-for-19 shooting from the floor. Her only made basket from the field was a 3-pointer, and she missed all other nine of her attempts from behind the arc.
The Liberty can thank the likes of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Nyara Sabally for keeping them afloat amid the cold spell that struck Ionescu. Stewart collected 13 points to go with 15 rebounds and also hit the crucial free-throws near the end of the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime, Jones had 17 points and six rebounds on her way to capturing WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors. Meanwhile, Sabally came off the bench and fired 13 points with seven rebounds, a steal, plus a block.
For what it's worth, the Lynx definitely did not go down without a fight. They were actually seconds away from notching the title but they just failed to finish the job in regulation. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 22 and 21 points,r respectively.