BROOKLYN, NY — The New York Liberty’s revenge tour got off on the right foot Sunday afternoon, defeating the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals 87-77. The Liberty were led by forward Breanna Stewart, who had 28 points, and guard Sabrina Ionescu with 21 points.
This anticipated matchup was a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals, where the Aces dominated the Liberty, winning the title 3-1. However, this Liberty team is not the same as last season, which disappointingly went home in the finals. With the league’s best record and sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the first round, they are on a mission to win the championship this year, and they surely looked like a winning team in this game 1 defeat against the former champs.
The game started off at a fast pace, with the Liberty taking the lead early on. Ball movement was a big factor for New York in the first quarter, as they accumulated 10 team assists in that quarter alone. With strong defense to start, New York managed to force multiple turnovers from the Aces, which led to seven fast break points, and it disrupted the Aces offense from the get-go. The Liberty were having their way around the rim, finding the open lane many times leading to 14 points in the paint. At the end of the first quarter, New York led 28-21, with Stewart leading the way with 11 points.
The Aces made a comeback midway through the second quarter, cutting what was once an 11-point lead for New York into a two-point lead. Their shot selection improved, and they saw better looks from the perimeter. Center A’Ja Wilson added six points for the Aces, contributing to that comeback. However, New York’s frontcourt of Stewart and forward Jonquel Jones responded with a stronger end to the half — Stewart leading the way with 20 points and Jones with 11. At the half, New York was on top 48-38.
Both teams were in foul trouble in the third quarter once again. The Aces picked up three fouls early on in the quarter and had trouble defensively the entire game. New York continued to build onto its lead, with major contributions from Stewart, who was having a remarkable shooting game. Stewart had struggled in the finals matchup against the Aces last year, but in this game, it looked like she had something to prove as she led her team to the win with her performance.
“I’ve just kind of grown from it,” Stewart said. “Last time wasn’t my most proudest, but I’m gonna continue to be better now.”
New York continued to dominate into the fourth quarter, where they saw more offensive input from Ionescu, who had eight points in the frame, including back-to-back 3-pointers. S
Stewart added to her scoring showcase, putting up six more points. The Aces were unable to make a comeback, struggling both defensively and offensively. The 2024 WNBA MVP, Wilson, who was the leading scorer for the Aces during the regular season averaging 26.9 points per game, put up 21 in Game 1.
Despite being a key component of the Aces’ defensive unit, specifically around the rim, averaging 2.6 blocks in the regular season, Wilson struggled to keep New York out of the paint. The Aces’ offense seemed dysfunctional throughout the game due to the intensity of New York’s defense, which had the best defensive rating in the WNBA at 95.3.
The Liberty will look to take a commanding lead in the best-of-five series in Game 2 this Tuesday at Barclays Center.
