The long-awaited return of Sabrina Ionescu is finally here. The New York Liberty point guard is suiting up for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Wings.
Liberty Look to Bounce Back With Sabrina Ionescu’s Return
Ionescu missed the Liberty’s first five games of the season with a left ankle injury. After getting off to a 3-2 start, the New York Liberty will look to gain momentum with the return of their star point guard.
What Ionescu Brings to the Team
Sabrina Ionescu is a key part of this New York Liberty squad. The point guard has averaged 16.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game throughout her career thus far. The trio of Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones is one of the best in the league. When all three of those players are in the starting lineup, the Liberty hold a 70-16 record, good for 81.4 percent. Last season, the Liberty started out 9-0. In those nine games, Ionescu, Stewart and Jones all started and ended the game on the court together.
Ionescu is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. She holds the WNBA record for the most 3-pointers made in a single season with 128. Additionally, the point guard has the most threes made in Liberty history with 460. Having this type of shooter back in the starting lineup will be beneficial. The Liberty have been lacking consistency from downtown, so Ionescu will look to fill that void.
Another big part of Ionescu’s game is her playmaking. Every game, she is an exceptional facilitator with a high basketball IQ. There is a strong chemistry between Ionescu and Jones, with a lot of pick-and-roll plays sure to come between them.
The Liberty’s Previous Game
The Liberty lost at home in their last game against a very defensive Golden State Valkyries team, falling 87-70. Barclays Center is not an easy place for teams on the road to play. However, the Valkyries had a strong offensive performance, with five players scoring in double figures. Many of the points were scored off second-chance opportunities. Golden State tallied nine offensive rebounds in the game, making the most out of each one. Additionally, their defensive effort was strong as the team had three blocks and five steals.
Sunday’s Game vs. the Wings
The Liberty remain at home today, where they will take on the Dallas Wings at 3:30 p.m. ET. The marquee matchup will be nationally streamed on Peacock. Having Ionescu back on the court will spark up the crowd, being that she is a fan favorite. The Liberty will look to get the ball to her often to give her a strong start in her return. If they can put up a strong offensive performance with a balanced effort from each player, they can win this game.
The Dallas Wings have been struggling this season. While they have star power in Paige Bueckers, they will need more players to step up in this game. The first overall draft pick, Azzi Fudd, has been coming in off the bench. She has been struggling to start the season. With more minutes played, the shooting guard will look to be more productive. The Wings must also find ways to limit the offense of the Liberty lineup, now including Ionescu. If they can curb the Liberty’s chances and have productive games from Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale, they can steal one on the road.
Looking Ahead
If Ionescu has a strong performance in her return and consistently puts up elite numbers going forward, the Liberty will be a force to reckoned with. New York has missed several aspects of the star shooting guard’s game. Between her defensive presence, playmaking abilities and strong perimeter scoring, the Liberty will be much improved with Ionescu back.
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