The New York Liberty were down 15 points inside the first six minutes on Wednesday night in Chicago. The Sky were firing on all cylinders, and Sabrina Ionescu was struggling to find her footing in her second start back from a back injury. For most of the night, it looked like New York’s eight-game winning streak might come to a crashing halt against one of the league’s most desperate teams.
Then the fourth quarter happened. Ionescu drained a go-ahead 3-pointer, then drove home a game-winning layup with 10.3 seconds left to seal a 96-95 win over the Chicago Sky. After the game, she spoke about what this month away from the court actually felt like, and what it meant to be back.
“It felt amazing,” Ionescu said. “Obviously, it’s been a long month for me personally, but I think it taught me a lot. I was able to pour into my teammates and continue to build, be in practice and continue to chip away. So it felt really good to just be able to be out there with them and grind out a win.”
The numbers on the night were modest. Sabrina Ionescu finished with 10 points and three rebounds, turning the ball over three times. She did not score until the 4:26 mark of the third quarter. But when the Liberty needed a bucket most, she delivered. That sequence, a clutch 3-pointer followed by the winning layup, was the reminder that rust does not erase instinct.
Head coach Chris DeMarco was direct about where Ionescu stands in her recovery.
“It’s going to be difficult as we ease her back in for everybody, find the right combinations, right sets defensively, how we’re going to play,” DeMarco said. “You don’t play all year and now you’re right back in the mix. So just take some time, but I thought she did a really good job of staying with it.”
While Sabrina Ionescu was sidelined for three weeks with back soreness, rookie Pauline Astier held the point guard role and the Liberty reeled off seven straight wins. Ionescu noticed. She credited Astier directly when asked about what that run meant for the team’s confidence.
“That’s the whole makeup of the team,” Ionescu said. “That’s what makes us who we are. We know it could be anyone’s night and our bench is just as strong as our starting unit. For her to do what she’s continued to do this start of the season, she’s going to do it for us the whole year. But obviously it pours confidence into the whole team knowing whenever your number is kind of called, you got to be ready.”
The Liberty’s Depth With Sabrina Ionescu Is Now Their Most Dangerous Weapon
Wednesday’s win was a case study in exactly that depth. With Ionescu and Marine Johannès both struggling early, Satou Sabally came off the bench and delivered 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Rebekah Gardner added 10. The Liberty’s bench outscored Chicago’s 38-14. Jonquel Jones contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, including a pivotal nine-point fourth quarter. Breanna Stewart added 17. New York shot 50 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by six.
The Sky pushed hard. Sydney Taylor dropped 24 points and drained the go-ahead 3-pointer with 15.6 seconds left to put Chicago up 95-94. Gabriela Jaquez posted a career-high 22. Chicago led by as many as 15 and the game featured 15 lead changes. This was not a comfortable win for New York. It was a fight.
The Liberty improved to 11-4 and have now clinched home court for the Commissioner’s Cup Finals on June 30, where they will face the Las Vegas Aces. New York beat Vegas in that same tournament back in 2023. With Sabrina Ionescu still shaking off rust and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton missing Wednesday’s game with a knee issue, this team has not yet hit its ceiling.
