The New York Liberty are determined to avoid another heartbreak in their sixth WNBA Finals appearance. No team has faced such a long championship drought without lifting the trophy after these many tries, and the pressure is on. Following a gut-wrenching overtime loss to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1, they must regroup and rally together if they want to take charge in the title race. However, star guard Sabrina Ionescu recently opened up about what transpired immediately after the game and how her team is handling the situation.

Just days after their tough Game 1 loss, Sandy Brondello’s squad was back at the training center, working tirelessly to stage a strong comeback in the Finals. During a quick break, Ionescu took a moment to speak with a reporter. According to the 26-year-old, some concerning issues arose in the aftermath, which could have been troubling if they persisted. She said, “You know, after the last game, I would say the Locker room was pretty quiet right after the game ended.”

Sab’s words shed light on just how shaken the team was after the Game 1 loss, with players barely speaking to one another in the immediate aftermath. The silence between them could have been a cause for concern, and it likely would have raised alarms for head coach Sandy Brondello if it had lingered. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

“Then we kind of got to talking all collectively, individually, about what happened, what mistakes we made. We took ownership, and that’s a powerful locker room when you can take ownership on the things that you didn’t do well and kind of commit to doing them better instead of just pointing the finger. Because I think in a situation like that, it’s easy to, ‘You should have done this,’ and, you know, pointed the finger, and being able to kind of hold yourself accountable in front of the group speaks volumes about the character of our group,” she proudly stated.

Ionescu faced challenges in Game 1 against the Lynx. Although she managed to score 19 points, she shot just 30.8% from the field, hitting only 8 of her 26 attempts. However, the Liberty have shown a willingness to acknowledge their shortcomings, and some analysts are now weighing in on what could be crucial for the team’s improvement in the next game.

Sabrina Ionescu & Co. must overcome shooting woes and mental hurdles to bounce back in Game 2

The Liberty certainly didn’t anticipate the historic comeback by the Lynx in Game 1. Breanna Stewart and her squad had full control, jumping out to a 13-point lead in the first quarter. By the final five minutes of the game, they were up by more than 15 points, seemingly cruising to victory. However, a clutch performance from Courtney Williams completely erased their advantage, leaving New York stunned.

Despite holding substantial leads throughout the game, however, one glaring issue emerged for the Liberty—struggles with their shooting. They managed just 34 made baskets from a staggering 90 field goal attempts, shooting a mere 37.8% from the floor. In contrast, the Lynx shot over 50%, highlighting the gap in efficiency. WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes weighed in on the matter, offering some advice to Ionescu and her team on how to bounce back.

“If and when New York gets a lead, stop just jacking up threes because you have a nice lead. Move the basketball and force Minnesota to have to defend several actions. Make them have to defend from side to side. You gotta move the basketball. You can’t get selfish and say, well, ‘It’s my turn,’ and just start jacking up threes,” Swoopes said.

The Liberty’s star duo, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, combined for a field goal percentage of just over 30% in the game, far below expectations—particularly for Ionescu, who is known for her sharpshooting skills. WNBA analyst Rebecca Lobo weighed in on this issue as well, emphasizing the importance of a turnaround in Game 2.“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,” said Lobo.

However, Ionescu’s recent comments show that the Liberty are ready to take accountability for their Game 1 shortcomings, a positive sign considering the silence that filled the locker room after the tough loss. It’s only natural that the team needed some time to process what happened—especially after blowing a huge lead. But now with Game 2 in sight, there’s no time to dwell. If the Liberty want to avoid their sixth heartbreak in the Finals, they need to regroup quickly and deliver a strong, united performance on Sunday.