The re-match of the 2023 WNBA Finalists might just get wrapped up in three games. Led by Sabrina Ionescu, the New York Liberty edged out the Las Vegas Aces 88-84 in yesterday’s matchup. Ionescu lit it up, dropping 24 points, 5 assists, and 9 rebounds to dispatch the reigning champions in game 2 of the Semi-Finals.
Advertisement
7 of those points came in the last two minutes of possession as she cold-bloodedly put the game out of A’ja Wilson & Co.’s reach. Her training session with Kobe Bryant in 2019 didn’t just help her secure the win, they also seem to have influenced her mindset.
In the post-game press conference, Ionescu resonated that ‘the job’s not finished’. “Being up 2-0 is great but we haven’t won anything yet,” the three-time All-Star commented.
“We did what we were supposed to do, which is protect home court and win 2 at home. But it’s not like we’re patting ourselves on the back, you know, celebrating… This isn’t what we came to do. We didn’t come to just win 2 games at home and then, be satisfied.“
Sabrina Ionescu on being up 2-0 against the Aces:
“Being up 2-0 is great but we haven’t won anything yet.” pic.twitter.com/QFmtwezQuA
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) October 2, 2024
Clearly, the California native has her eyes on the ultimate prize. Even with the comfortable series lead, Ionescu does not want to get complacent until she has led the Liberty to their first WNBA championship. Her words hark back to 2009, when her mentor Kobe Bryant found himself in a similar position.
Kobe had led the Lakers to the NBA Finals for the second time in a row and he wanted to redeem their Finals loss from the previous season. After he dropped 29, 8, and 4 to secure game 2 against the Orlando Magic, Bryant joined the post-game press conference with a somber demeanor. A reporter asked him, “You’re up 2-0. What’s the story? Are you not happy or are you half happy?”
The Black Mamba responded, “What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished. Job finished? I don’t think so.”
Ionescu was a close friend of the Bryant family. Her Mamba Mentality was on full display after she led her team to a 2-0 series advantage. Much like Bryant, she has last year’s Finals loss fresh in her memory.
She made history as the second WNBA player to tally 20 points and 5 assists while shooting 50% from the field in three consecutive playoff games. If she can make it four on Friday, the Liberty will probably return to the WNBA Finals by sweeping their opponents from last year.
