Liberty vs. Aces: Sabrina Ionescu's hard work improving inside-the-arc play pays off late in Game 2

After a historic 3-point shooting campaign last summer, Sabrina Ionescu made it her mission to improve her inside-the-arc game in the offseason. All of her hard work paid off Tuesday night when she used her dribbling skills to put the New York Liberty in their place late in an 88-84 victory over the Las Vegas Aces in Game 2 of their semifinal series.

“Sabrina had a tremendous performance down the stretch,” said Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello.

Thanks to the hard-fought victory, the Liberty lead 2-0 in the best-of-five match and are just one win away from avenging the Aces and returning to the finals for the second year in a row. Since the introduction of the best-of-five series in 2005, no team has ever blown a 2-0 lead.

Ionescu finished the night with 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 9 of 18 from the field. She joined Diana Taurasi as the only players in WNBA history to score at least 20 points and five assists on 50% shooting in three consecutive playoff games.

She had nine of those points and an assist in the final 5:08 when she took over the game to ensure the Liberty didn't blow a double-digit lead in the second half.

After A'ja Wilson cut the deficit to two with just over five minutes left – up to that point the game was the closest it had been since the second quarter – Ionescu responded immediately with a layup that sent her over Wilson's outstretched arm reached the finish line.

This is not a style of play we saw from her last season, especially in the playoffs when she was too affected by the physicality and pressure of opponents. During the Liberty's run to the 2023 Finals, it managed just 16 total two-point shots in 10 games and has already taken 21 shots inside the arc in the first four games of this postseason.

“I have my 3-point shot, but I have to continue to help the team just manipulate the defense and get into the gap, which allows the extra pass and the defense collapses,” Ionescu told The earlier this season Next about their new approach. “My ability to go up, get fouled and understand that sometimes three-point shots are going to happen.” [are] I won't go in and sometimes the defense will protect it really well.

As the clock ticked down to two minutes left, the Liberty's lead dwindled to one when a convenient sequence occurred. Ionescu missed a 3-pointer, but Jonquel Jones recovered the offensive rebound and passed it back to their point guard, who made a slick pass for a layup for Breanna Stewart.

On the next two drives, Ionescu hit a tough runner and a pull-up jumper, the latter coming after the Aces tied it on a 3-pointer from Alysha Clark, giving the Liberty the lead for good with 1:15 to play play.

“Somehow I saw some great openings, knew they were great shots for me and was able to see some of them go through,” Ionescu said. “Obviously I always want to make those shots, whether they make it or miss. That's what I've always done throughout my career: made a lot of big throws, missed a lot of big throws. My teammates continue to pour into me.” . You need me at this moment. You know I'm made for this.

The difference between Ionescu's two-point results this season has been staggering.

Restricted area

In the paint (unrestricted area)

midrange

So far, Ionescu has been even better in the playoffs. She is a perfect 7 of 7 from the restricted area and shoots 47.4% in the paint (non-RA) and 62.5% from the mid-range.

It's easy to point to new signing Leonie Fiebich and a better defense, but Ionescu's internal development is arguably the main reason the Liberty are on the verge of knocking out the defending champions and marching to the finals, where they would win the first place title in the franchise history.

Ionescu won't let her team look that far ahead.

“Being 2-0 up is great, but we haven’t won anything yet,” Ionescu said. “Everyone knows that. We did what we were supposed to do, which was to protect the home court. Won two home games. We don't pat ourselves on the back and talk about how lucky we are. We didn't come here to win two home games and be happy, we are a hungry group.