The New York Liberty booked their spot in the WNBA Finals for the second consecutive season with a 76-62 Game 4 win over the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, ending their hopes of a three-peat.
New York’s Sabrina Ionescu led both teams with 22 points, hitting five 3-pointers. The Liberty guard showed a mix of relief and excitement after the game, but emphasized that the job isn’t done yet. “It means everything,” Ionescu said in a video shared by the WNBA after the win.
“Obviously, we still gotta continue to grind away and get some wins, but gonna enjoy the moment and obviously just be very thankful for the way we grinded out this win,” she added. This is Ionescu’s fourth postseason appearance, and she’s eager to secure her first WNBA title.
Ionescu’s standout performances in this postseason have put her in elite company. She’s now only the third player in WNBA history to average 20/5/5 and reach the Finals, joining Breanna Stewart (2020) and Cappie Pondexter (2007).
Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty drives against Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the loss marks the end of the season for the Aces. MVP A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas with 19 points but struggled to find her rhythm, as the team shot just 21-of-64 from the field and 7-of-30 from beyond the arc.
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Liberty await for a rival
The Liberty will face the winner of the Minnesota Lynx-Connecticut Sun series in the WNBA Finals, which will begin on Thursday, Oct. 10. Currently, the series is tied 2-2 after the Sun won Game 4 on Sunday, forcing a deciding Game 5.
Sun’s Ty Harris dropped a playoff career-high of 20 points. Meanwhile, Alyssa Thomas scored 18 points, and recorded 8 rebounds and 11 assists. DeWanna Bonner also had a great night, recording 18 points, 8 rebounds and four assists.
