After starting their eight-game home stand with a tough loss on Tuesday to the Seattle Storm, the New York Liberty got back to their winning ways, beating their longtime rivals the Las Vegas Aces 87-78 at the Barclays Center.
This contest started with the Aces getting on the board first from a Jackie Young three-pointer in the first 55 seconds of the game. Leonie Fiebich would quickly respond by converting a pull-up midrange jumper. New York continued to put their dynamic offense on display with creative sets. Breanna Stewart would get a wide-open layup after she and Sabrina Ionescu ran a pick-and-roll. A few plays later Ionescu would make a nice wrap-around pass to Nyara Sabally for another wide-open layup. Starting off the game by giving up multiple easy looks at the rim frustrated Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon forcing her to call a timeout.
The rest of the first quarter was both teams trading blows with neither team able to create separation. Sabrina Ionescu would do a great job controlling her body to finish a layup through contact in transition giving New York a 19-16 lead to end the first quarter.
The New York Liberty started off the second quarter strong with Ionescu getting a steal by sneaking up behind Dana Evans leading to her scoring a wide-open layup in transition. Ionescu, not too long after, would make a good drive to the basket making the layup despite getting fouled and making the free throw to convert the three-point play.
Marine Johannes would get a wide-open catch and shoot midrange jumper coming off a screen then followed it up making a three pulling from the parking lot. Chelsea Gray would get the Aces back on track making back-to-back threes. After driving to the basket A’ja Wilson took a hard fall and grimaced in pain after injuring her right wrist forcing her to go to the locker room. Las Vegas responded by going on a 10-2 run and as a result they had a 42-40 lead heading into halftime.
In spite of their superstar player A’ja Wilson being ruled out for the rest of the game, Las Vegas started the third quarter swinging. Jewell Loyd would get an open layup. Then after a few passes in transition, Kierstan Bell made an open three-pointer. Not pleased with their defensive intensity, New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello called a timeout. New York would punch back after turning two steals by Kennedy Burke into a three-pointer by Ionescu and a layup by Johannes in transition. For the rest of the quarter, each team would go on runs of their own yet the Liberty held onto a 62-60 lead heading into the fourth.
Dana Evans came out on fire to start the fourth quarter stealing an inbounds pass by Johannes and making a pull-up three-pointer in transition. The home team ignited their knockout punch after Rebekah Gardner and Ionescu in the same possession got offensive rebounds ending in a Stewart layup. This followed with Kennedy Burke beating Aaliyah Nye off the dribble for an and one layup to cap off a Liberty 7-0 run. Sabrina Ionescu hit a cutting Leonie Fiebich for another and-one layup bringing the lead up to nine points for New York putting the final nail in the coffin in a victory for the Liberty.
With the New York Liberty set to take on the Atlanta Dream in a heavyweight battle Sunday afternoon, they hope this is the start of more wins to come during the last five games of their home stand.
