As the WNBA calendar counts down and teams jockey for a place in the postseason, the league-leaders will take centerstage this weekend when the playoff-bound Liberty host second-place Connecticut on Saturday.
Liberty aim for four-game season sweep
New York will try to complete their 2024 season sweep of the Sun in the pair's fourth and final meeting tomorrow after their tense 79-71 win over 10th-place Dallas on Thursday showcased just how clutch a sidelined Sabrina Ionescu can be for New York.
The Sun, fresh off a historic sellout in Boston, are hoping to maintain that momentum with a win over the Chicago Sky tonight before heading to Brooklyn tomorrow.
Middle-table WNBA teams eye race for the playoffs
A series of consequential weekend matchups could further determine the fate of middle-of-the-pack teams eyeing a top-eight playoff berth, including ninth-place Atlanta. The Dream haven't lost a post–Olympic break game yet, and tonight they'll face sixth-place Phoenix, who they bested 72-63 on Wednesday.
Eighth-place Chicago, however, has yet to beat their Friday opponent, Connecticut, this season — daunting circumstances considering they'll close out the weekend with a bout against reigning WNBA champs Las Vegas.
If the Dream win over the Mercury and the Sky drop both weekend games, Atlanta will leapfrog Chicago to claim the league's coveted eighth-place standing.
Other WNBA games to watch this weekend
Las Vegas will take on third-place Minnesota tonight, aiming for a win in the pair’s fourth and final season meeting to split their 2024 series. Then on Saturday, the Lynx will host the seventh-place Fever — a team they’ve yet to beat this year.
At the bottom of the table, 11th-place LA will face two other teams with 6-22 records: 10th-place Washington tonight and 12th-place Dallas on Sunday.
The New York Liberty became the first WNBA team to clinch a postseason spot with a big 79-67 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday. The result marked New York's second win over Las Vegas this season, with the Liberty looking to put their 2023 Finals loss behind them.
New York's upward tick has in part revolved around big performances by Sabrina Ionescu, who led the team in scoring on Saturday with 23 points.
"This second half of the season is really important. And there's no excuses. Nobody cares if we just came off the Olympics and have a game four days later and a nine-hour time zone change," Ionescu told reporters after the game.
Other WNBA teams target 2024 playoff positions
The WNBA saw numerous teams soar over the weekend, all jockeying for position as the league enters the regular season's home stretch.
The Atlanta Dream are now 2-0 in post–Olympic break play, notching impressive wins over both Seattle and Connecticut as they push to overtake Chicago for the eighth and final spot above the playoff line. Indiana also looked strong on their home court, taking down first Phoenix and then Seattle as they solidify their playoff berth.
Other teams struggled, however, as the Mystics, Wings, Storm, and Sparks continue to look for a win in the WNBA's return to action. And with the regular season's clock ticking, the race to the playoffs will only grow more fierce with every showdown.
Standout solo showings point to WNBA award races
Noteworthy individual performances abounded on the WNBA court this weekend, led by MVP frontrunner A'ja Wilson. After dropping 24 points for the Aces in Saturday's loss to New York, Wilson elevated Las Vegas over the Sparks with 34 points and 13 rebounds on Sunday.
The Rookie of the Year competition has also stayed hot, with Fever star Caitlin Clark breaking Ticha Penicheiro's 1998 record for most assists in a rookie season in Sunday's win over the Storm. That same day, Chicago rookie Angel Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 20 career double-doubles in the Sky's loss to the Mercury.
The New York Liberty are 4-0 on the season for the first time since 2007.
The 2023 WNBA title finalists notched a 74-63 win over Seattle on Monday night, with Sabrina Ionescu dropping 20 points alongside eight assists. After the game, Ionescu told reporters she thought the team was coming together a bit easier than they did last year.
"I think having a year together, we don't nearly have to communicate as much on the court anymore," she said. "Because we can just play off one another and read. And that's obviously been the growth of this team, is being able to play a season together last year."
The team’s defense has also contributed heavily to the season's winning start. Last night, the Liberty held Jewell Loyd to just 13 points and nine rebounds. Loyd let the Storm in scoring, with only two other players in double digits, while Nneka Ogwumike missed her second straight game with an ankle injury.
Storm free agency acquisition Skylar Diggins-Smith had eight points, and is averaging 14.5 points and 5.8 assists per game this season. In her postgame remarks, Storm head coach Noelle Quinn called on others to give her grace in her return.
"There needs to be respect about the fact that she's had two children and hasn’t played in 20 months," said Quinn. "She’s not going to come overnight and be who she was 20 months ago and we have to respect that and honor that. And I do.
"My grace as a coach is to know she’s working her butt off every day. You guys don’t see it. Every single day. Two children. Not one, two. Not many can do that."
The New York Liberty dominated Indiana on Thursday night, winning by a whopping 36 points in the Fever's home opener.
A sold-out crowd of 17,274 was in attendance to watch as star rookie Caitlin Clark finished the 102-66 defeat with nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists. It’s the first time since January 2021 — her freshman season at Iowa — that Clark's been held to single-digit scoring.
"The physicality is definitely up there... I'm easily pushed off screens," she told reporters after the loss. "The game seems a little fast for me right now. The more I play and the more comfortable I get, it's going to slow down a little bit. It will be easier for me to make reads, see things develop."
The Fever were outscored by a combined margin of 57 points in their first two games — the largest two-game point deficit in WNBA season-opening history, according to @ESPNStatsInfo.
"We've got to get to a level of toughness," Fever coach Christie Sides in her own postgame remarks. "When things are going south on us, we're not stopping the bleeding."
"I have great perspective on everything that happens," Clark added. "It was the same in my college career. There were some moments that were absolutely amazing. And there were some moments I was not happy with how I played and how my team performed. That's just life, that's just basketball."
Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, who herself experienced a rocky rookie season following a much-hyped college career, offered up some insight on the matter.
"In this league, there are tough defenses all centered around not letting you get the ball, trapping, not letting you score," Ionescu said. "There were many factors that played into what was a tough first season for me in the league, but it helps you be able to figure it out. You have to have those experiences."
But it was reigning league MVP Breanna Stewart that truly stole the show, racking up 31 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks on the night.
"In general, I just wanted to come out more aggressive coming off of last game," Stewart said after putting up the 24th 30-point game in her career.
Stewart she also commended the fans inside Indianapolis's packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse, noting that she hopes that level of support to continue across the WNBA.
"This is how you want every game to be and when it's a sell-out crowd, it gives you a similar playoff atmosphere feel," she said. "People want to be a part of this and the thing now is to continue to sustain it, continue to take the momentum that we have and turn it into something more."
Golden State Warriors’ star Steph Curry has a challenge for Sabrina Ionescu.
While he wasn’t named a starter for the NBA All-Star Game on Thursday, he hinted at his plans for at least one event during the weekend in Indianapolis. Curry is expected to be named a reserve for the All-Star game when it gets announced next week.
During a discussion with teammate Brandin Podziemski, Curry said that he might go up against Ionescu in the 3-point contest.
Ionescu scored 37 points in the WNBA’s 3-point contest last summer, besting Curry’s 31 points. The 37 points is an all-time record for both the WNBA and the NBA.
“Do you know who holds the record for the most points in a 3-point competition?” Curry asked his teammate, who answered correctly.
“I think I’ve got to bring her out,” he continued. “We gotta settle this once and for all.”
Ionescu later responded to the call-out, writing on social media that she accepted the challenge.
“Let’s getttttt it!! See ya at the 3 pt line,” she wrote.
Let’s getttttt it!! See ya at the 3 pt line👀 @StephenCurry30 https://t.co/ES0JlEDJW3
— Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) January 26, 2024
Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe hit the market in 2023 as an instant hit, including among NBA players.
But for the New York Liberty guard, the sneaker was a long-held secret. In an essay for Boardroom, Ionescu writes about keeping that secret – and also what it has been like since the launch of the Nike Sabrina 1s.
Among the more startling experiences since the release was seeing a woman wearing the shoes in the grocery store.
“It was the first time I saw someone outside my team or my family repping Sabrina gear,” Ionescu wrote. “The feeling was just surreal. It made this whole journey toward getting a signature line that people all over could get their hands on feel … real.”
Just 11 WNBA players had signature shoes before Ionescu. So when Nike announced the deal, it made headlines.
Before that, Ionescu had to keep the secret of the shoe for an entire year – including from her own family. That made debuting the Sabrina 1s, and wearing them in a WNBA game, feel all the better.
“That day, and every day since, there’s just this feeling of awe, to be honest, of being able to play a game in my own sneaker,” she continued. “I felt rooted in the shoe, knowing what it stood for and the story I wanted to tell.
“Trust me: Keeping a signature shoe — one of your biggest dreams — a secret from your family for an entire year was hard.”
Even still, Ionescu had to explain the importance of a signature shoe to her family, including how having her name on the box and the details – some which are important to her Romanian heritage – set a signature shoe apart.
“It’s been funny these last couple of months because there is nobody from my family or my fiancé’s family that is not in Sabrina gear or Sabrina shoes … to everything that we go to,” she wrote. “It’s like a 30-person Romanian mob that walks around, all reppin’!”
Ionescu has watched as Nike decked out its first floor in New York City, as kids at her camp donned the shoes, and as NBA players including Jrue Holiday, Mikal Bridges and Jordan Poole started wearing them. It’s a testament to the nature of the shoe, which was designed for people of all genders and as a push for equality and bridging the gap in basketball.
Holiday was one of the first players, which Ionescu says is a testament to “where his heart is at in supporting women’s sports.”
“I’m not gonna lie – every NBA game that’s on, that’s all I’m watching for. Who’s wearing my shoes? Who’s got ’em on?” she wrote. “Every game, I just look for the vertical Swoosh that’s on the inside of the shoe.
“It’s crazy to think about now, but the vision that Nike and I had together has really come to life. The fact that the Sabrina 1 is existent now in the NBA, in college basketball, and in high school is what we were going for all along.”
One of the best players in the WNBA has high praise for New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.
Phoenix Mercury veteran Diana Taurasi, called Ionescu “the ultimate competitor” while speaking with reporters at USA Basketball’s fall training camp. Both Taurasi, 41, and Ionescu, 25, are participating in the camp and exhibition games this month as the team prepares for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“There’s not many players that I love to watch. Sabrina is one of them,” Taurasi said. “I just love her competitiveness. I love her dedication. I love the way she takes the game serious on and of the court.”
Ionescu keeps “the main thing, the main thing” — as in, basketball is front and center, Taurasi said. While Ionescu’s high profile — from her signature shoe to other big sponsorship deals — could be distracting, the New York Liberty guard doesn’t allow that to derail her.
“It’s one thing that I really appreciate about her,” Taurasi said of Ionescu, who helped lead the Liberty to the WNBA Finals in 2023.
Taurasi also recounted a story from 2019, when Team USA “got lit up” by Oregon in an exhibition game back when Ionescu still played for the Ducks.
“How she played against Tennessee is why she’s gonna be on this team for a long, long time,” she said. “She’s the ultimate competitor and the ultimate teammate, always looking to distribute, always looking to make the next connection.
“And I think that’s the beauty of her game and any day she can give you 30, but the way she sees the game and how quickly she makes decisions, it’s second to none.”
Ionescu responded to Taurasi’s comments. “My idol,” she wrote in reference to Taurasi.
My idol 🙏🏼 https://t.co/NRmBkfeUJL
— Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) November 8, 2023
When New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu was growing up, young boys on the court told her she “shouldn’t be playing with [them].” Now, her signature sneakers grace the feet of male and female hoopers alike — and their popularity transcends the sport of basketball.
Ionescu’s shoes, the Sabrina 1s, released Sept. 1 as Nike’s first unisex shoe collection. She and fellow WNBA star Elena Delle Donne are the first women in a decade to collaborate on signature sneaker designs with Nike.
Since their release, Sabrina 1s have been spotted on the court in the NBA. Mikal Bridges, Jrue Holiday, DaQuan Jeffries and Jordan Poole are among the stars seen sporting Ionescu’s sneakers. Even NBA officials have supported the Sabrina 1s.
Sabrina 1s are picking up around the NBA, spotted on:
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) November 1, 2023
• Jrue Holiday
• Mikal Bridges
• DaQuan Jeffries
• Jordan Poole pic.twitter.com/SPDPQ8qOn4
Brooklyn Nets forward Bridges rocked Sabrina 1s before their release, wearing them to FIBA World Cup practices and even to Nets media day.
“Yes [I’ll be wearing Sabrinas this season] — pretty much them and I’m going to test out those Devin Booker 1s when they come out, too,” Bridges told The Sporting News.
On July 23, when Ionescu threw a ceremonial first pitch during the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees players were photographed wearing Sabrina 1 spikes in the dugout, and Nike gifted her with a pair to celebrate her accomplishment. Even before their release, Ionescu’s signature shoes had escaped the basketball court.
When designing her sneakers, Ionescu told CBS Mornings that she set out to make a shoe for anyone, regardless of gender — and she hit her mark.
“When I was in the process of designing this shoe I wanted anyone anywhere to be able to put this shoe on and accomplish whatever it is that they wanted to,” Ionescu said.
New York Liberty players took exception to Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum’s criticism of their team following the WNBA Finals.
The Aces won a second consecutive WNBA championship, running it back with a very similar lineup to their 2022 title-winning season. After Wednesday’s series-clinching win, Plum pointed to Las Vegas’ long journey to that point — as compared to New York, which assembled its roster in the 2023 offseason.
“There was a lot of years that we weren’t so super,” she said. “But you can’t build a superteam in a couple of months. It takes years.”
Plum also questioned the Liberty’s team mentality.
“We also knew that, as much as they’re a team, they’re not a team, if that makes sense,” she told Yahoo Sports. “They’re really good individual players, but they don’t care about each other. And you can tell in those moments. They revert back to individual basketball.”
On Friday, Liberty players called out Plum’s comments in their end-of-season interviews.
“I think it’s easy to kick people when they’re down and you’re up, and honestly to me, it felt classless,” Jonquel Jones said. “You could celebrate with your team, and instead you chose to essentially s— on someone else.”
Sabrina Ionescu pushed back on the notion that New York isn’t a team, saying that “couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“I’ve never been on a team that’s been more committed to one another than what it’s been like this year,” she said. “We had players that came together in a short amount of time… to try to win.”
Breanna Stewart sidestepped a question on Plum’s criticism, calling the Aces “phenomenal” and congratulating them on their win.
“Win or lose, we’ll just continue to carry ourselves with grace and keep that going forward,” she said.
Head coach Sandy Brondello admitted she had not looked much at social media since her team’s loss Wednesday, but she did say that what Plum said about the Liberty is “wrong.”
“I don’t even think I should comment, because I know it’s not true,” she said. “This team has grown so close together in a short period of time, and what Kelsey said is wrong.”
Plum then took to social media to clarify her comments.
“Since the media wants to do click bait, imma cut this drama out right now so we can move on and be in peace,” she wrote on X. “What I said was taken extremely out of context. I was trying to articulate my teammates and I have been through a lot and we used our bond to get over the hump.”
Since the media wants to do click bait, imma cut this drama out right now so we can move on and be in peace. What I said was taken extremely out of context. I was trying to articulate my teammates and I have been through a lot and we used our bond to get over the hump. https://t.co/FgD7STZTEN
— Kelsey Plum (@Kelseyplum10) October 20, 2023
She also apologized for how her words came on, noting that she didn’t intend to “throw shade.”
“Never been the type to throw shade, quite the opposite actually,” she continued. “I see how it came off, never was my intention and I apologize. Our game grew immensely from this series, don’t let this bull shit detract from the biggest win here.”
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu used Steph Curry’s signature “night night” celebration after hitting a key 3-pointer in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.
When the Las Vegas Aces clinched the 3-1 series win over the Liberty in Game 4, Sydney Colson remembered.
As the Aces celebrated Wednesday’s 70-69 win and their second straight WNBA title, Colson shared a message with ESPN’s Holly Rowe and with the crowd at New York’s Barclays Center.
“People wanted to count us out because we had two of our starters down, but they don’t know we’ve got some dogs on this team,” Colson said. “So I’ve got two words to say: night night!”
Colson later clarified to reporters that Ionescu told her to “take her ass to the bench” earlier in the season. The 34-year-old Aces guard took issue with the trash-talking, tweeting on Wednesday that “if you play in my face and start being disrespectful, then ima match that energy.”
I don’t even talk trash and any teammate I ever had can attest to that. But if you play in my face and start being disrespectful, then ima match that energy FA SHOOO
— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) October 19, 2023
As Colson mentioned, Las Vegas played the deciding game of the series without two of its five starters. Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes were sidelined with foot injuries sustained in Game 3, pushing Colson and Aces forward Cayla George into much bigger roles on Wednesday night.
Colson played 14 minutes off the bench, while George started in place of Stokes and matched her season high with 11 points in 30 minutes.
2x WNBA Champ @SydJColson says "NIGHT NIGHT" 😴#WNBAFinals | @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/O7OfsIm7Qn
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 19, 2023
