In a matchup of the past two WNBA champions, the visiting New York Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 87-76 on Tuesday behind guard Sabrina Ionescu's first double-double of the season.
These teams will meet again in the Commissioner's Cup final on June 30 in New York. The Aces won the WNBA title in 2022, 2023 and 2025 and the Liberty won it in 2024. The Aces won the Commissioner's Cup title -- the WNBA's in-season event that began in 2021 -- in 2022 and the Liberty won it in 2023.
"Two of the best organizations in our league," Ionescu said. "[The Aces] have continued to pave the way in what they've done, contending every single year, winning multiple championships. [The matchup] is always a great basketball game being played ... some of the best players the game has ever seen on the court."
Ionescu has dealt with foot and back issues this season, and Tuesday's game was just her sixth. But it was her best so far as she had 16 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes.
"I'm just better and better every day," said Ionescu, the Liberty's No. 1 draft pick in 2020. "My body's feeling better, getting back into the rhythm of playing competitive basketball."
Forward Breanna Stewart led New York with 20 points. Guard Jackie Young led the Aces with 19 points, while center A'ja Wilson, who entered the game leading the league in scoring at 25.7 points per game, was held to a season-low 16. The Aces dropped to 12-5.
The Liberty (12-6) were coming off two disappointing losses to teams below them in the standings: 86-83 to Washington on Friday and 98-97 at Los Angeles on Sunday when the Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
"Moments like that can either make you or break you," Ionescu said. "It's a long season, so for us it was just understanding we've got to come together, not let that happen again and continue to grow from it."
