New York Liberty All-Star Sabrina Ionescu playfully referenced NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a post-game interview following the Liberty’s intense 82–77 win over the Golden State Valkyries, and Breanna Stewart was the driving force.

She drew an incredible 16 fouls, which led to 19 free-throw attempts. Stewart converted 15 of them, shaking off a slow first half in which she scored only nine points. She roared back in the second half, scoring 13 in the fourth quarter and grabbing five rebounds in the final stretch.

During the post-game interview, head coach Sandy Brondello was speaking to reporter Lucas Kaplan when Ionescu leaned into the mic. She softly said “SGA,” then laughed and quickly added, “just kidding.” The joke was aimed at Gilgeous-Alexander’s reputation as a “free throw merchant.” This term describes players who score heavily from the foul line rather than from the field. Critics have often called out the reigning MVP for this. According to Statmuse, he has made 601 free throws this season, 96 more than James Harden.

The game itself was a back-and-forth fight. By the end of the third quarter, New York held a narrow one-point lead. The Liberty opened the fourth with a 5–0 run, forcing Golden State to call a timeout. With just over five minutes left, Stewart completed a three-point play to break a tie. Valkyries sharpshooter Julie Vanloo answered right away with a three-pointer. Moments later, Leonie Fiebich drained another triple, swinging the lead back to the Liberty.

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In the final seconds, Natasha Cloud drove hard to the basket. Her shot put New York up 80–77. The Liberty defense stayed strong, locking down Golden State and sealing the win.

Golden State slipped to 2–3 but showed clear improvement. Just two days earlier, they had suffered a brutal 95–67 blowout loss to the Liberty. Meanwhile, New York extended its unbeaten run to 5–0 in the West, even without injured stars Nyara Sabally and Jonquel Jones.

With this victory, the Liberty proved they are a true force this season. They have shown they can win, even when missing key players. Led by Stewart’s fierce inside game and Ionescu’s steady leadership, New York looks primed for a deep playoff run.

Fans are now daring to dream: could this finally be the season when the Liberty lift their second WNBA championship trophy? As the season heats up, New York is shaping up as the team to watch.