So much for the New York Liberty playing up to their potential in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and company were nearly run out of the gym in Sin City on Wednesday night, getting blown out by the Las Vegas Aces 104-76 to fall behind 0-2 in the championship series.
After the game, Liberty coach Sandy Brondello laid into her star-studded team, saying “everything was too easy” for the Aces while New York “didn't have any toughness,” “didn't compete” and played with “no grit,” per Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post.
Liberty get blown out by Aces in Game 2 of WNBA Finals
It's tough to argue with that brutal assessment of the Liberty's Game 2. The Aces raced out to a 19-2 advantage, then immediately jumped back on New York after halftime once their commanding lead was cut to single-digits. The home team was up 90-58 midway through the fourth quarter, embarrassing the Liberty in front of a rabid Michelob Ultra Arena crowd.
Article Continues BelowStewart, the WNBA MVP, needed 17 shots to score 14 points, while Wilson staked her claim as the best player in women's basketball, finishing with 26 points, 15 rebounds and three assists on 10-of-16 from the field. Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot were invisible compared to Vegas counterparts Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, who combined for 47 points. Chelsea Gray doled out 11 assists for the Aces, six more than anyone managed for the Liberty.
New York's only silver lining? The Liberty beat the Aces three times during the regular season, proving they have what it takes to compete against a juggernaut like Vegas. Asked why her team hasn't been able to duplicate that success over the first two games of the Finals, though, Brondello admitted she didn't have a good answer.
“I think, first thing, Vegas is playing their best basketball at the moment. They're playing with a lot of confidence; you see the chemistry that they have,” she said, per SNY Liberty. “And for us, we haven't taken steps forward. We haven't shown it. It's disappointing. It's very disappointing, because we're a way better team than what we showed. I don't know why. Is it because of our opponent? Possibly. We're better than this. We're better.”
New York will have a long time to let its frustration simmer. Game 3 of the WNBA Finals is on Sunday at Barclays Center, a must-win for the Liberty to keep their title hopes alive.