The Las Vegas Aces fought back to force a Game 4 with the New York Liberty, keeping their 3-peat hopes alive after Sabrina Ionescu failed to leave her mark.
Game 3 was unfamiliar territory for the Aces, who were on the verge of being swept for the first time in four years and faced an elimination game for the first time since 2021. WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson stole the show in front of the Las Vegas crowd with 19 points and 14 rebounds, but Liberty’s Ionescu was scoreless through three quarters.
The game was poised for a blockbuster finish as only three points separated both teams at the half with over 10 lead changes. But the Aces turned up the heat in the third quarter and outscored the Liberty 21-6, forcing two turnovers against Ionescu during that run.
Ionescu was electric through the opening two games of the series as the Liberty took a 2-0 lead, scoring a combined 45 points. Fans were stunned to see Ionescu pick up her first points of Game 3 in the fourth quarter, and she was criticized by Liberty supporters.
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“Ionescu just doesn’t know how to score all of a sudden?” One fan wrote on X. “Have we considered that Sabrina Ionescu may have some curse on her right now?” Another added.
“Ionescu has some answering to do after this one,” one supporter said. “Is Sabrina Ionescu missing? How do you go from averaging 23 points to needing a free throw to score your first point in the fourth quarter of a playoff game?” Another fan added.
While it was a quiet night for Ionescu, it was forced upon her after the Aces made sure she was guarded at all times. Las Vegas was rejuvenated for Game 3, with their core four of Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray all at their best. “You can’t sit down in a game like this, this is a playoff game,” Wilson said after the game.
A’ja Wilson said “You can’t sit down in a game like this” after Ionescu had just four points. (
2024 NBAE)
Despite the loss, the series is still in the hands of New York as they require just one win from a possible two games to reach the WNBA Finals. No team has ever won a best-of-five series when losing the opening two games, and Ionescu made it clear before Game 3 that the Liberty are yet to win anything this season.
“Being up 2-0 is great, but we haven’t won anything,” Ionescu said ahead of Friday’s game. “We did what we were supposed to, which was protect home court.”
Aces head coach Becky Hammon also conceded that New York has been the best team in the WNBA this year, and admitted that her championship-winning roster becoming major celebrities had led to its challenges. “They’ve been the best team this year,” Hammon told reporters before Game 3.
“Because of their habits, their edge that they’ve had the entire year, their incredible attention to detail. Quite frankly, we haven’t had the edge. This is why three-peating is hard… My players are in commercials and this and that. And being celebrities. And you get distracted. That’s why it’s hard. Human nature is distracting.”
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