“She was trying to go a little bit too much one-on-one early.” The New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello had already addressed one of the shortcomings from Sabrina Ionescu’s performance in Game 1 that led their team to a heartbreaking loss against Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty made the infamous record of becoming the first team to lose a game after leading with over 15 points in final five minutes. Well, a WNBA analyst have weighed in on what might be the key element that led to this unfortunate outcome.

Recently, Rebecca Lobo sat down for a chat with ESPN’s Malika Andrews to discuss the Liberty’s path forward in the series. Lobo highlighted a crucial factor that impacted their performance which ultimately translates to suggestion on what could be done for improvement and positive results ahead.

“A couple of things for the New York Liberty. Number one, they need to move the ball better and get better shots. It’s kind of been the story for them this season when they’re unselfish, when they switch sides of the floor and get good looks, they win basketball games. When they settle for tough looks, especially by Sabrina Ionescu and some of their guards, they don’t,” stated Lobo on NBA Today. 

It’s no secret that the Liberty faced challenges with their shooting in the game, hitting only 34 of their 90 field goal attempts for a percentage of 37.8. In contrast, the Lynx had a much more impressive showing, converting 50.7% of their shots. This shooting struggle is something which devoid them, giving Las Vegas Aces a sweep in semifinal as in Game 3 their field goal percentage dipped to 38.8%, while the Aces boasted a much higher 52.1%.

However, Lobo didn’t hold back, calling out the struggles of key players in Game 1. “In that game one, Sabrina and Breanna Stewart simply were not efficient. They shot, I think around 29% combined, they combined for 47 field goal attempts, they did get some good looks. They weren’t able to convert on them,” the WNBA analyst said. Well, Lobo’s analysis resonates with the statistics, highlighting the challenges Stewart and Ionescu faced in showcasing their scoring abilities and shooting precision.

New York Liberty’s star duo faces pressure in WNBA Finals

As the franchise’s leading scorers in both the regular season and playoffs, it’s only natural to expect Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu to step up in the high-stakes WNBA Finals against the Lynx. Although both players fought hard and showcased their talent, their efforts fell short, and they missed a few key opportunities that could have turned the tide in their favor.

Sabrina Ionescu took a hefty 26 shots in the game, but unfortunately, only 8 of them found the bottom of the net. She finished with a shooting percentage of just 30.8%, which is a stark contrast to her regular-season average of 39.4%. Similarly, Breanna Stewart made 21 attempts but managed to convert only 6, resulting in a shooting percentage of 28.6%. This too was significantly below her regular-season mark of 45.8%.

However, one of the key reasons the duo struggled was the Lynx’s formidable defense. Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith were relentless, consistently applying pressure and making it difficult for Liberty players to find open looks. Their tight wall defense forced the Liberty into challenging shots, leaving little room for error throughout the game.

Nevertheless, as Lobo concluded, “It’s going to be so important for New York to get a win in Game 2 for both of those women to have us efficient scoring nights,” Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will need to find their rhythm and bounce back with their shooting to help the Liberty mount a comeback in the pivotal Game 2 scheduled for Sunday.