Sabrina Ionescu had a rough night on Thursday against the Minnesota Lynx. The New York Liberty star was not at her usual level, which ultimately cost the team a 95-93 loss in the first game of the WNBA Finals. After the game, her coach, Sandy Brondello, didn't hold back in her assessment.
Ionescu was nearly unstoppable during the regular season, averaging 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists over 29 games. In the postseason, she has been just as impressive, averaging 20.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
With 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists in Game 1, Ionescu's stats seemed consistent with her regular-season performance. However, her shooting efficiency plummeted, as she shot just 30.8% from the field, compared to 41.5% in the regular season and 44.7% in the postseason.
The Lynx defense deserves credit for the constant rotations and defensive schemes that kept Ionescu off-balance. Nevertheless, Liberty head coach Brondello pointed out that her star guard made a key mistake early on that impacted her game.
Brondello's criticism
In the post-game press conference, Brondello acknowledged the strong defensive tactics by the Lynx but also offered a blunt critique of Ionescu's performance. "Yeah, I think they threw different coverages at her [Ionescu], you know, with the switching, and she was trying to go a little too much one-on-one early," Brondello stated.
Despite the criticism, Brondello recognized that opposing teams will always try to focus on stopping Ionescu. "She's been playing great. So, of course, they want to make it hard for her. I think they put her in action on the other end," she itted.
Despite the tough night, Brondello expressed confidence in her star guard's ability to bounce back. "We had a tough shooting night. We all did, but what I know is that Sabrina's a competitor and she'll get ready for Game 2 and come back stronger."
All eyes on Game 2
After the heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 1, Brondello and the Liberty are focused on securing a win at home in the Barclays Center before the series moves to the Target Center in Minneapolis, where the Lynxwere dominant during the regular season.
With the right adjustments and a reinvigorated Ionescu, New York hopes to capture its fifth title and cement its legacy as the most successful team in WNBA history.