The New York Liberty lost the first three games of Breanna Stewart’s injury absence, until Sabrina Ionescu produced a monster performance
Coming off one of the best games of her career, Ionescu will attempt to get the Liberty rolling again Tuesday night when they host the Dallas Wings.
The Liberty (18-10) are playing their fifth game since Stewart sustained a right leg injury in a 101-99 home loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on July 26. New York lost the first three contests by a combined 33 points before snapping a four-game slide with Sunday’s 87-78 win at Connecticut.
Ionescu scored 36 points to finish one shy of her career best. The star guard shot 14-of-22 from the floor and is shooting 52.6 percent (60-of-114) in her past six games.
“She was just really consistent,” New York’s Jonquel Jones told reporters after adding 21 points and nine rebounds. “We look to her in moments when we couldn’t really get the ball in the rim and when things kind of felt stuck and stagnant. She was able to help push us and get us over that hump.”
The Liberty, who won that game despite committing 22 turnovers, are facing the Wings (8-21) for the second time in nine days. Dallas is 2-8 over its past 10 games but earned a 92-82 home win over New York on July 28, when the Wings outscored the Liberty 63-36 in the first half.
Dallas followed its win over New York by taking a three-point home loss to the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday and an 88-78 loss to the Indiana Fever two nights later.
Paige Bueckers scored 22 points Friday and has scored at least 20 in three straight games for the second time in her career. Bueckers’ latest big game occurred as the Wings shot 40.6 percent, marking the 19th time this season they shot lower than 45 percent.
Dallas also was outrebounded 44-30, missed 13 of 15 3-point tries and committed 15 turnovers.
“We need a toughness right from the tip,” Dallas coach Chris Koclanes said. “That game was all about toughness and physicality. We’ve got areas to improve and grow.”
–Field Level Media
