NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu had a rough start to the game, with her first attempt ricocheting off the side of the backboard, followed by a second that didn’t hit anything at all. After a remarkable performance in Game 3, where she delivered a historic game-winning shot, Ionescu struggled significantly throughout the match, earning the nickname “Ice-cold Ionescu.”
On Sunday, Ionescu’s shooting was dismal, finishing with only one successful shot out of 19 attempts. Breanna Stewart also had an underwhelming performance, but Jonquel Jones stepped up and provided the heroics needed for the New York Liberty, leading them to a 67-62 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in overtime. Jones garnered the WNBA Finals MVP award for her pivotal contributions, scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Ionescu ended the night with five points but contributed with eight assists and seven rebounds. Stewart, shooting 4 for 15, accumulated 13 points and recorded 15 rebounds. The Liberty had constructed their own “super-team” by acquiring Stewart from Seattle and Jones from Connecticut to pair with Ionescu, their former No. 1 pick. While the team made it to the WNBA Finals last year and had the best record in the league for the current season, it seemed their quest for a championship might slip away due to the shooting misfires from both Ionescu and Stewart.
Ionescu endured a difficult beginning, missing her first 13 shots, extending her error streak to 15 consecutive misses from Game 4. Her first and only bucket of the night came in the form of a 3-pointer with 3:10 left in the game, giving the Liberty a 56-52 lead. However, when the Lynx surged back to take a 60-58 lead, it appeared the Liberty’s hopes might be dashed due to their stars’ off nights. In the closing seconds, Stewart missed two critical free throws, but New York managed to grab the rebound. Unfortunately, Ionescu missed back-to-back attempts from beyond the arc after regaining possession.
The Liberty managed to force overtime when Stewart converted two free throws with just 5.2 seconds left in regulation, and they sealed the win with key baskets from Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally in the extra period. After Ionescu’s stunning 28-foot shot that clinched Game 3 for the Liberty, they were hoping to avoid a Game 5, but her performance in Game 4 was limited, going 5 for 16 without sinking any of her five three-point attempts. Meanwhile, Stewart struggled as well, managing only 11 points on 5 for 20 shooting.
Ultimately, it was Jones’s perfect shooting performance, finishing 6 for 6, that provided the necessary support for the Liberty, as she averaged 18 points and eight rebounds throughout the series, including a vital 10 points in the first half of Sunday’s match, keeping the team competitive while Ionescu and Stewart faced significant struggles.