Trap games are always treacherous. When you’re a huge favorite and have the talent advantage, sometimes it can lull you into a sense of complacency. The opponent is fired up and ready to surprise everyone that was expecting a blowout. Games like these can test you in surprising ways. And for the New York Liberty, tonight was a test they almost failed.
In the preview of this game against the Chicago Sky, we noted how the Sky have been one of the league’s worst offenses this season. They are 13th in offensive
rating and things have been especially difficult following Rickea Jackson’s ACL tear. You would have never known it in the first quarter.
Chicago scored a season high 32 points in the first quarter as they built a lead as large as 15.
However, the Liberty were able to hang around and get back in the game. It started with Satou Sabally coming off the bench. Sabally has gotten better throughout the season and tonight poured in 17 much needed points. Sabally has been a key part of a Liberty second unit that outscored the Sky 38-14 on the evening.
Even with that, the Sky would not go away. Rookie guard Sydney Taylor had another breakout performance. Taylor followed up her career night against the Indiana Fever with 24 points in 28 minutes. Taylor’s been a revelation for the Sky and someone that has earned more minutes in Tyler Marsh’s rotation going forward.
The two teams traded the lead back-and-forth throughout the fourth quarter. Jonquel Jones put forth another terrific outing with 17 points and eight boards in 28 minutes. She hit a running floater in the final minutes to put the Liberty ahead 94-90 in the final minutes. After two Natasha Cloud free throws, Taylor delivered a clutch three to put the Sky ahead by one point with 15 seconds to go.
All seemed lost for the Liberty until their franchise star saved the day.
Sabrina Ionescu had her second start of the season tonight, and appeared hesitant in moments; even turned it over three times. She’s still working off the rust and is not yet at her All-WNBA level form. But with the game on the line, she knows what needs to be done. And she wound up hitting the shot of the night…
The Sky had one more chance to win, but Taylor missed near the baseline after intense defense from Pauline Astier and Sabrina Ionescu. With that out the way, the team focused on the heroics of their franchise guard.
“She’s a champion, she’s been in a million of these games,“ Chris DeMarco said in postgame. ”She understands what winning means and she made a nice play at the end. She competed and got herself back in it [and] hit a big three. It’s going to be difficult as we ease her back in for everybody [to] find the right combinations, right sets defensively [in] how we’re going to play. You don’t play all year and now you’re right back in the mix. So just take some time, but I thought she did a really good job of staying with it.“
Indeed.
Final score: New York Liberty 96, Chicago Sky 95
The win served multiple purposes. It improved the Liberty’s record to 11-4. Their winning streak is now at eight. And they secured home court advantage in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals on June 30. The question is, who will they be facing that night?
The Commissioner’s Cup Finals are set
Joining the Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals will be a long time foe. The Las Vegas Aces secured their trip to the Cup Final with an 84-74 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night. Vegas ended Cup play tied with the Minnesota Lynx at 6-1, but Vegas’ win over Minnesota on June 13 gave them the tiebreaker.
The Aces and Liberty previously met in the Commissioner’s Cup Final back in 2023 when New York beat Vegas in Vegas to capture the Cup. The Liberty and Aces in a high stakes game with a lot on the line? Sign us up!
Next up
Home for a night. The New York Liberty come home to take on the new look Washington Mystics. Tip off after 7:30 PM on Juneteenth at Barclays Center.
