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The New York Liberty delivered an important response on Tuesday night, defeating the Las Vegas Aces 87-76 after entering the game on the back of consecutive defeats.
The defending WNBA champions had recently suffered losses to the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks, raising concerns about their form. Facing one of the league's strongest rivals provided the perfect opportunity to regain momentum, and Sabrina Ionescu played a central role in the victory.
Ionescu recorded her first double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes. It was arguably her most complete performance of the year and an encouraging sign after a difficult start to the campaign.
The Liberty guard has been limited by foot and back injuries, making Tuesday's contest only her sixth appearance of the season. Following the win, Ionescu expressed confidence that her health and game are improving.
She explained that she feels better each day and is gradually finding her rhythm again through regular competition.
That development could be significant for the rest of the league. When fully fit, Ionescu provides New York with another elite playmaker alongside Breanna Stewart, who led the Liberty with 20 points against Las Vegas.
The timing of the victory was especially important. New York had been looking to recover from a painful 98-97 defeat to the Sparks, decided by Nneka Ogwumike's dramatic buzzer-beating three-pointer.
Rather than allowing those setbacks to affect the team's confidence, the Liberty responded with one of their strongest performances of the season.
Reflecting on the recent losses, Ionescu said difficult moments can either strengthen a team or pull it apart. She added that the Liberty focused on staying united, learning from their mistakes and continuing to improve throughout the long season.
The win lifted New York to a 12-6 record and reinforced its status as a serious championship contender when healthy.
The matchup also carried added significance because the two teams will face each other again on June 30 in the Commissioner's Cup final.
Over the past several seasons, New York and Las Vegas have developed one of the WNBA's premier rivalries. The Aces won league titles in 2022, 2023 and 2025, while the Liberty captured their first championship in 2024.
New York's defense was equally impressive. The Liberty held league scoring leader A'ja Wilson to a season-low 16 points, while Jackie Young paced Las Vegas with 19. With another meeting approaching, the victory suggested New York may be rediscovering its championship-level form.
