The New York Liberty made history on Saturday with a huge win.
In a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals, they defeated the Las Vegas Aces 79-67. This victory not only improved their record to 23-4 but also secured them the first playoff spot in the league.
PLAYOFF SPOT SECURED #SEAFOAMSZN | #LIGHTITUPNYL
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Trailing by four points after the first quarter, the Liberty surged ahead in the second quarter. They outscored the Aces 18-8 and led 42-36 at halftime. Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones all played crucial roles in maintaining this lead throughout the game.
Jones was particularly impressive, nearly achieving a triple-double and dominating under the boards. She joined Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Alyssa Thomas as one of only four players in WNBA history to have at least 17 rebounds, 10 points , and seven assists in a regular-season game.
DOUBLE UP @jus242 notches a double-double with 10 PTS | 12 REB
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Main Topic: Star Performances Shine Brightly
Ionescu led her team with an outstanding performance of her own: scoring 23 points along with six rebounds and three assists. Stewart added another strong showing with her contribution of 18 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Fans might think this dynamic duo is unstoppable!
This win was also significant for head coach Sandy Brondello. She became the first coach in WNBA history to lead her team to playoffs for twelve consecutive seasons.
Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart offer their congratulations to Sandy Brondello for becoming the first coach in WNBA history to lead her team to playoffs each of her first twelve seasons in league
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Several key players like Stewart and Ionescu recently celebrated winning gold medals at the Paris Olympics but are now fully focused on finishing strong this season.
“There’s no excuses,” said Stewart via SNY. “Nobody cares if we just came off Olympics; we have games to play.”
With their playoff spot secured early on , New York’s next goal is clinching that top seed! They currently hold a three-game lead over Connecticut Sun (19-6).
What do you think about their chances for securing number one seed?
