WNBA Semifinals Game 2: Sabrina Ionescu shines as New York Liberty take a 2-0 series lead against the Las Vegas Aces

CNN
—

The Las Vegas Aces’ quest for a three-peat is about to end as they lost 88-84 to the New York Liberty in Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals.

The win gave the Liberty a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, with Sabrina Ionescu scoring a total of 24 points to push the Aces to the brink.

New York, seeking a championship for the first time ever, will now likely seek revenge for last year’s loss to the Aces in the WNBA Finals: No team in league history has ever trailed 2-0 in a best-of- Five playoff series can catch up.

But the Liberty players still can’t get over themselves.

“We didn’t win anything, I think everyone knows that,” Ionescu told reporters. “We did what we were supposed to do, which was to protect the home spot and get two home wins, but it’s not like we’re patting ourselves on the back, celebrating and talking about how happy we are.”

The Liberty had a seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but saw that lead dwindle as the final period wore on, culminating when Alysha Clark drained a three-pointer for the Aces to tie the game at 81-81 equalized 1:1. 31 left.

Ionescu, who also had nine rebounds and five assists, came up big in the final period, putting the Liberty back in front with a layup and a 15-foot jumper and then converting three free throws late to increase the lead to four at eight Seconds on the clock.

League MVP A’ja Wilson gave the Aces hope when a jumper scored her 24th point of the night, but two free throws in the final seconds from New York star Breanna Stewart – who finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists – closed that out Game off.

It was a disappointing second quarter for the Aces in which they were outscored 24-13, losing their early lead and giving up 20 points due to turnovers by halftime.

“Let me be mad at the refs, let me be mad at the New York Liberty, I don’t want to be mad at ourselves,” head coach Becky Hammon told reporters. “But that’s exactly what it was. Tonight it was Aces vs. Aces, we beat ourselves.”

Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Friday in Las Vegas as the Aces will look to stage a historic comeback and look for the league’s second ever three-peat.

In Tuesday’s other game, the Minnesota Lynx evened their series with a 77-70 victory over the Connecticut Sun in Minneapolis.

Minnesota was led by Courtney Williams with 17 points and Alanna Smith with 15 points, while WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, who scored a total of 80 points in the Lynx’s 2-0 win over the Phoenix Mercury in the first round, led the way The evening was rather subdued with nine points, but was able to assert itself strongly in defense with 12 rebounds and four blocks.

The series now heads to Connecticut for the next two games before a potential playoff next week in Minnesota.

Suns forward Alyssa Thomas led all scorers with 18 points, but it was a lost cause for Connecticut, which is seeking a return to the WNBA Finals after a loss to the Aces two years ago.