Overview
- New York beat the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces 87-76 in Las Vegas on June 23, paced by Breanna Stewart’s team-high 20 points and Sabrina Ionescu’s 16 points and 10 rebounds.
- The Liberty made 13 of 31 three-pointers and had five players score in double figures, producing a balanced offensive performance that built as much as a 19-point lead.
- Ionescu’s 30 minutes marked a notable step in her recovery from an earlier preseason foot injury and later back soreness, and her play was described by opponents as a sign she is getting back to form.
- The game included a third-quarter technical on Aces coach Becky Hammon after she chased a referee down the baseline and her postgame comments tempered Ionescu’s performance as a return to expected ability.
- The result is being framed as a momentum statement ahead of the Liberty hosting the Aces in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final on June 30 and could affect matchups when the teams meet next week.