Ionescu’s 36 points lead Liberty to WNBA semifinals with 91-82 victory against Dream

Sabrina Ionescu put up an impressive performance, scoring 36 points and tying a franchise playoff record to lead the New York Liberty to a 91-82 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night. With this win, the top-seeded Liberty secured a spot in the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs. Joining Ionescu in an outstanding display was Jonquel Jones, who contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds to the team’s success.
New York managed to maintain a slender lead heading into the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish. A crucial layup by Courtney Vandersloot ignited a 12-2 run for the Liberty, with key contributions coming from players like Breanna Stewart and Leonie Fiebich. Fiebich’s strong play, which included a three-point play followed by a 3-pointer, helped New York establish a double-digit lead for the first time in the game.
Despite the valiant efforts of Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard for the Atlanta Dream, who scored 26 and 19 points respectively, they were unable to close the gap in the late stages of the game. Gray had a particularly impressive start, propelling the Dream to a 28-19 lead in the first quarter with 14 points, aided by four 3-pointers.
In a game characterized by back-and-forth momentum swings, Ionescu stepped up for the Liberty in the second quarter with a series of deep 3-pointers, briefly giving her team the lead. However, Atlanta closed out the first half strongly, entering halftime with a 48-43 advantage after a 12-3 run.
Ionescu’s standout performance not only propelled the Liberty to victory but also saw her tie Cappie Pondexter for the most points scored by a Liberty player in the postseason. The game attracted a sellout crowd, with notable figures such as Olympian Gabby Thomas, singer Pharrell, Spike Lee, and Whoopi Goldberg in attendance. Rapper Ja Rule even entertained the audience with a halftime performance, adding to the electric atmosphere.