Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty look to bounce again after loss to Lynx: “We type of beat ourselves”

It’d be exhausting to overstate how crushing a defeat Sport 1 was for the New York Liberty, and at this level, the sequences of occasions most likely doesn’t should be retold.

However, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and the remainder of the Liberty will always remember how the Minnesota Lynx secured the come-from-behind victory that left their dwelling crowd shocked. Neither will anybody in attendance at Barclay’s Heart on that fateful Thursday evening.

New York held an 18-point lead within the first half, and led by 12 with 5 minutes to go. Breanna Stewart had a chance to win it on the free throw line — and to tie issues up with a very good take a look at a layup on the finish of time beyond regulation — however neither shot fell.

In flip, somewhat than taking a 1-0 lead within the WNBA Finals, the Liberty fell to 0-6 all-time in WNBA Finals Sport 1s.

Nonetheless, it was only one sport.

That was the sentiment instantly expressed on the podium, when Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sandy Brondello all fielded questions from the media moments after catastrophe. It actually wasn’t the result they desired, however as catastrophic because the loss might need been, they have been very a lot nonetheless alive.

At apply on Saturday, Liberty gamers additional expressed an unwavering confidence of their means to bounce again from the late-game collapse.

“We had a chance to come back in and watch the movie,” mentioned Jonquel Jones. “I spotted that there’s a whole lot of issues that have been in our management, even after executing the way in which that we wanted to nonetheless type of stroll away with that sport. So, the mixture of these two issues, having the ability to management the sport slightly bit higher so we’re not in that scenario, but additionally closing out slightly bit higher too.”

Sabrina Ionescu, who shot simply 8-26 in Sport 1, reiterated that a whole lot of what went improper in Sport 1 was their very own doing.

“We type of beat ourselves,” Ionescu mentioned. “It’s a crappy approach to lose however understanding that a whole lot of that stuff is in our management to come back out and be capable to change it and never panicking. It’s one sport and understanding we obtained a chance tomorrow to come back out and be higher.”

Defensively, the Lynx switched closely, however Leonie Fiebich made clear that the defensive scheme wasn’t something they hadn’t seen earlier than, per NetDaily’s Lucas Kaplan.

“We simply didn’t transfer the ball effectively,” Fiebich mentioned. “I believe we’re simply over-dribbling, We’re not making good choices.”

Sandy Brondello echoed her gamers’ sentiments — whereas additionally noting the Lynx caught hearth on the proper time.

Picture by Melanie Fidler/NBAE through Getty Photographs

“It’s a collection,” Brondello mentioned. “We’re disillusioned as a result of we didn’t shut it out, however credit score to Minnesota — they didn’t miss a shot down the stretch. We obtained too passive and there’s issues we are able to be taught from and be higher for the subsequent one.”

After a loss like Sport 1, gamers additionally took the possibility to get away from basketball for a second. Ionescu mentioned she hung out with household and pals in her time off in-between video games — noting that she has 25 individuals visiting New York from California, and that they’ll be accompanying her to Minnesota, too.

“I noticed them yesterday and was in a position to neglect about basketball for slightly bit,” Ionescu mentioned. “At this level within the season while you’ve been on this emotional excessive for nearly a month of win or go dwelling, it’s good to generally step out of that and be across the individuals you’re keen on and hang around with them outdoors the courtroom.”

Picture by Melanie Fidler/NBAE through Getty Photographs

Liberty gamers have harassed all yr that the journey to a franchise-first championship wasn’t going to be simple, however that being there earlier than was going to make it simpler when adversity inevitably hit. They’re extra prepared to have troublesome conversations, they usually very a lot acknowledge the truth that successful the Finals was by no means meant to be a breeze.

“Having one other yr of constructing belief and vulnerability makes every thing slightly bit simpler and simply because all of us know,” Stewart mentioned. “Everybody needs you to say the exhausting issues to them as a result of we need to win. We need to get this franchise the primary ever championship and also you don’t do this by solely doing the simple issues or saying the simple issues. That is the WNBA and nothing is a cakewalk.”

The Lynx and Liberty face off once more at 3pm ET on Saturday. A win would tie issues up and shift the momentum again towards New York heading again to Minneapolis. A loss would put them in a 0-2 gap that no WNBA group has ever come again from, in any collection — not to mention the deciding one.

“It’s the Finals,” Jones mentioned. “We’re not about to give up after one sport, particularly a sport that we have been greater than able to successful — a sport that we actually performed effectively for essentially the most half. We’re good. We’ll be again.”