Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty rebound from first loss with comeback win over Dream

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NEW YORK – Sabrina Ionescu matched her season-high of 34 factors to guide the New York Liberty to a double-digit comeback over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night time, rebounding from the crew’s first lack of the season over the weekend.

Regardless of Ionescu’s 20 first-half factors, New York trailed by 17 factors within the third quarter and had been pacing to drop their second straight recreation after the Indiana Fever handed the reigning WNBA champions their first lack of the season on Saturday night time.

New York Liberty guard Marine Johannes (23) appears to drive previous Atlanta Dream middle Brittney Griner (42) within the fourth quarter at Barclays Middle on June 17, 2025. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Photos)

However momentum rapidly shifted arms halfway via the quarter.

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"I believe we did not play nicely, we did not have toughness, we did not have urgency," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello stated of the primary half of the sport. "I believe we discovered our identification, we discovered some vitality… We simply have to play more durable typically."

New York had seven turnovers to Atlanta’s three within the first half, however that identification disaster rapidly light behind one other 14 factors from Ionescu and Breanna Stewart’s 11. New York picked up their tenth win of the season with an 86-81 victory.

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) appears to drive previous Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) within the third quarter at Barclays Middle on June 17, 2025. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Photos)

"We're actually pleased with the best way that we fought. And, clearly, that recreation may have simply gone the opposite path and us simply sort of giving up and being annoyed, and I believe you had been in a position to see a crew that stayed collectively, dug actually deep after which sort of simply figured it out on the fly," Ionescu stated after the sport.

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"I am actually impressed with our capability to do this as a result of we have not been put in that state of affairs this 12 months – to go down that large and should attempt to dig our manner out of a gap, and I believe all these experiences are simply going to assist us as we proceed to play in video games and the season goes on."

Ionescu recorded a season-high of 34 factors in opposition to the Fever on Saturday. She hit that mark once more on Tuesday night time to mark back-to-back 30-point video games for the primary time in her WNBA profession.

New York Liberty ahead Breanna Stewart (30) takes a soar shot within the third quarter in opposition to the Atlanta Dream at Barclays Middle. Obligatory Credit score: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Photos (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Photos)

Atlanta rookie Te-Hina Paopao led the Dream with 16 factors, Allisha Grey added 14, and Brionna Jones and Rhyne Howard each completed with 13.

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Atlanta entered the sport tied with the Liberty and Fever within the Commissioner's Cup video games, however Indiana’s gritty win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night time clinched their place within the championship recreation the place they’ll face the Minnesota Lynx on July 1.