In their first chance to win the WNBA championship in New York’s history, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart fell short.
The Liberty stars shot a combined 10 for 36 from the field and missed all nine of their 3-point attempts as New York lost 82-80 to Minnesota in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night. This result means there will be a decisive Game 5 on Sunday in New York.
“Try to make it as hard as possible for them to get the shots they want,” said Napheesa Collier, who defended Stewart for most of the game. “They are good players. They are going to get shots off. But they can’t get easy ones. So that’s my goal, to make it as hard as I can.”
Stewart, who scored 11 points, mentioned that Collier, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, made her rush her shots.
“I think that I was going a little bit too fast. I just needed to slow down,” Stewart said. She had 30 points in New York’s Game 3 win.
“They are sending multiple people when I’m slipping on a screen, stuff like that. A little bit better awareness on my part. But quick turnaround and be ready for Sunday.”
Ionescu, who hit a long shot to win Game 3, had a chance to win Friday’s game too, but her shot at the buzzer missed the rim. She scored 10 points while being closely guarded by Kayla McBride.
“It’s the fourth time we are playing them,” McBride said. “We know each other so well and know each other’s tendencies. It’s just making everything hard. I think that’s the name of the game on both sides now.”
Despite the loss and their poor shooting, the Liberty felt confident heading home, where they had been difficult to beat.
“Short-term memory. Just the fact that all that happened tonight is the series is even, and there’s a Game 5, winner take all,” Stewart said. “We are going back to New York, and we’re going to get it done. You know, getting it done there.”
