Mateo’s Hoop Diary: New York Liberty tie up championship series going to Minnesota

The New York Liberty won Game 2 at home to tie the WNBA Finals. Sabrina Ionescu unfastened Minnesota’s coverages early on. Breanna Stewart registered a record seven steals in a championship bout. And Betnijah Laney-Hamilton connected on four back-breaking trays.

Early, the Lynx’s offense missed four makeable 3-pointers and committed five turnovers, while the hosts’ defense prevented any trips to the line. Additionally, the Liberty converted its first 13 of 18 field goal attempts and held a 10-point lead through 12 minutes. 

Most of the action came from Ionescu, who scored a layup on the break, dribbled into the paint for a floater, curled around a pick, making a jumper in the middle and downed two trays. Stewart and Laney-Hamilton each contributed seven marks.

Subsequently, the Liberty was held to 29.4% shooting in the second quarter. Yet, five offensive rebounds that turned into four second-chance points, multiple trips to the line, and forcing five turnovers made them match the Lynx’s scoring. Despite the inaccuracy, the hosts were the nastier team. At one moment, their advantage rose to 17 points. 

The Liberty led at intermission, 49-39. The squad had 14 paint points, 10 on the break, six via second chances, 14 off turnovers and four from the bench. 

The Lynx put up 20 interior marks, nine in the open court, none on extra tries, six off turnovers and three from the reserves.

Then the guests came out of the break dropping four of six baskets by hand of Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith. But the Liberty’s defense tightened up, holding the guests to two of 10 baskets by contesting jumpers on time and having help rotate promptly. 

Offensively, the Liberty were in the mud in the third quarter, too. Jonquel Jones, Ionescu and Stewart were the only providers, each with four marks.

Next, the fourth quarter started with the hosts ahead 61-53.

When the Lynx were within striking distance, Napheesa Collier hit a fadeaway and a power-step through the lane. And Williams dribbled past Jones from the top to the cup for a scoop. But it wasn’t enough.

Laney-Hamilton responded with a corner 3-pointer, and Leonie Fiebich struck the next blow: the wing 3-pointer on the break that stretched the lead to nine points supplied by Williams dribbling the ball off her foot. 

On top of that, Stewart continued being a defensive menace. Her doubling produced a strip on Williams and she poked a bal loose from the post plus broke up a bad pass from Collier. 

The Liberty won 80-66. The team had 28 paint points, 19 on the break, 10 via second chances, 26 off turnovers and seven from the bench. 

Stewart had 21 digits on seven of 18 attempts, with eight rebounds, five assists, one block, seven steals and five giveaways.

 Laney-Hamilton contributed 20 points on 57.1% accuracy, with two rebounds, two assists, one steal and three turnovers. 

Ionescu put up 15 points on five of nine looks, with four rebounds, five assists, two seals and two giveaways. 

And Jones had 14 points 46.2% shooting, with nine rebounds, one dime, two steals and four turnovers.

The Lynx had 34 interior marks, 13 in the open court, four on spare attempts, 17 off turnovers and five from the reserves. 

Collier put up 16 points on seven of 12 shots, with eight boards, three dimes, four steals and seven giveaways.

Williams had 15 digits on 50% accuracy, with eight assists, six rebounds, one steal and five turnovers.

And Smith had 14 points on six of nine tries, with two rebounds, two assists, one steal and three turnovers. 

After the game, Stewart said she couldn’t wait to play following the upset in Game 1. When asked about her defense, she said, “I wanted to make it difficult for every single one of the players I was going up against…”

At the post-match presser, Ionescu was asked about how defensive pressure impacts her play. She said, “Being able to understand how teams are playing me and being able to kind of make that adjustment in real time. Possession by possession, quarter by quarter, teams have kind of changed the way they’ve guarded. Whether they are switching, hedging, trapping…”

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