Breanna Stewart poured in 34 points and Sabrina Ionescu added 21 as the New York Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces 87-77 in Game 1 of their semi-final series on Sunday. Jonquel Jones contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Liberty, who will host Game 2 on Tuesday night in New York. Kelsey Plum led the Aces with 24 points, while A’ja Wilson chipped in 21.
This matchup was a reprise of last season’s WNBA Finals, which the Aces won in four games, clinching the championship in New York. The Liberty, who had the best record in the league this season and earned the top seed in the playoffs, have used last year’s loss as a driving force throughout the current campaign.
New York dominated early, with Stewart spearheading a 28-21 lead after the first quarter. Las Vegas narrowed the gap to 37-34 with 4:11 left in the half, but the Liberty closed the second quarter with an 11-4 run, taking a 10-point lead into halftime. Stewart, who had 20 points in the first half, contributed six points during that decisive run.
The Liberty extended their lead to 62-44 in the third quarter on a three-pointer by Stewart. The Aces responded with a 12-point run to close within six, but Courtney Vandersloot’s layup sparked a Liberty run that restored a nine-point advantage by the end of the third.
Las Vegas kept the game close, trailing 75-67 until Ionescu hit a three-pointer with 7:34 left, turning to point at Spike Lee, who was courtside wearing her jersey. In a previous game, Lee’s high-five had given Ionescu a boost, feeling like “New York was injected into my veins.”
In the other semi-final game, Marina Mabrey scored 20 points and Alyssa Thomas added 17 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists as Connecticut beat Minnesota in Game 1 of their series. DiJonai Carrington and DeWanna Bonner contributed 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Sun. Napheesa Collier led Minnesota with 19 points and nine rebounds.
