Sabrina Ionescu is brimming with enthusiasm. The New York Liberty might as well start preparing to lift the trophy, or at least that’s the vibe you get from Ionescu’s confidence. After two games in the WNBA Finals, as New York snatched a stunning victory in game 2, the Liberty guard seems pretty sure they’ve cracked the code to take down Napheesa Collier’s Minnesota Lynx. 

While both teams are tied 1-1, the 26-year-old has made it clear—she’s not worried. Why? Because according to her, the Lynx haven’t changed their game at all between Games 1 and 2, and the Liberty have already figured them out. “We know what they’re doing,” Ionescu boldly said after Game 2. 

“They haven’t changed a whole lot from Game 1 to Game 2.” The Liberty, she says, were able to make key adjustments while keeping their poise, moving the ball better, and, most importantly, bringing intensity on defense. “We were able to get stops, and that’s really what wins you championships,” she added. Ionescu concludes, saying, “And that’s what you have to do on the road because defense always travels.”

However, Game 1 was a stunner for the Liberty as the Lynx picked up a 95-93 win in a game that extended to overtime. Minnesota’s head coach Cheryl Reeve has four WNBA championships in her kitty. But the win against the Liberty is sure to find a place among the best wins of her career. Because wild the game was!

Minnesota rallied from 18 points down in the first half. But Napheesa Collier’s turnaround jumper with 8.8 seconds left in overtime lifted the team to the win.

“We’re the first team in WNBA playoff history to be down 15 (in the final 5 minutes) and come back and win the game. So that ranks really high. I think it defines our team. Getting through difficult times. That’s what we’ve been talking about. You have to be mentally tough, resilient. … Thrilled that we could hang in there,” Reeve said after the game. However, the Liberty had its chance.

While the game was tied, Collier faked in the lane and scored. New York got an opportunity to tie it, but Breanna Stewart’s layup at the buzzer was off. “The basketball gods were on our side tonight,” said Courtney Williams, who had 23 points, including a four-point play with 5.5 seconds left in regulation, to lead Minnesota. Collier finally finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, and three steals. But as Ionescu pointed out, it seemed that the lesson the Liberty learned from the game was to hold their nerves in front of the fiery Lynx.

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals was indeed one not to miss. The NY Liberty needed to bounce back after their Game 1 collapse. Heading into the game, head coach Sandy Brondello kept preaching, “You can’t panic.” And they didn’t. 

The Liberty came out firing, shooting an incredible 72% in the first quarter. Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton led the scoreboard with 13 and 14 points, respectively, in the first half. By halftime, the Liberty had built a solid 49-37 lead. But, the Lynx made a run in the third quarter, even cutting the lead to just two points with four minutes left in the game.

It almost felt like déjà vu from Game 1. With the Liberty on the edge of another loss, Laney drained a three-pointer to push the lead back to five. That was the moment the game shifted in the Liberty’s favor, and they never looked back. The New Yorkers shot 47.5% from the field and 45.8% from three-point range, compared to their struggles in Game 1. 

Stewart summed up their performance postgame, saying, “Not letting history repeat itself.” Well, now we know the “defensive intensity” the 3× WNBA All-Star was talking about. But it wasn’t just the stats or key plays that got fans buzzing. Ionescu’s gesture during a heated moment in the game hit the headlines. 

Sabrina Ionescu channels Caitlin Clark in a heated moment against Collier

Caitlin Clark is often known for her fiery demeanor on the court. Her 6 technical fouls and the ‘CC de-escalation committee’ could attest to that. In the 2024 Finals, Liberty star offered a reflection of it when she clapped her hands and chimed in during a tense discussion between the refs and Naphessa Collier. 

It came after Collier picked up her fourth foul and got into an argument with the referees. Fans on X noticed the resemblance right away, with many commenting on how her energy reminded them of Clark. But this wasn’t the first time people have drawn comparisons between Ionescu and Clark. 

Both are known for their confidence, boldness and, of course, the shooting from beyond the arc. They share the same ‘mentally dominate your opponents’ kind of energy. Hence, seeing Ionescu adopt that same confrontational attitude, especially in the middle of the Finals, was quite a moment.

Now, both teams are set for Game 3. Based on Sabrina Ionescu’s confidence and the Liberty’s impressive response in Game 2, it seems like they’ve got the upper hand. Napheesa Collier & Co. must pull out something different if they hope to take back control of the series.