It was a rough Thursday night for Sabrina Ionescu, whose shooting performance in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals was about as ice-cold as a Minnesota winter. The New York Liberty’s star guard, who typically lights up the scoreboard, couldn’t find the basket if it had a neon sign over it. Her off-night resulted in a heartbreaking 95-93 loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello didn’t exactly offer her star player a warm blanket after the game either—more like a tough-love reality check.
Sabrina’s regular season was a highlight reel on loop—averaging 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. In the postseason? She upped her game even more, dropping 20.4 points a night like it was nothing. So, what went wrong in Game 1? Apparently, the Lynx defense decided to crash her party early, constantly rotating and switching like they were playing musical chairs with her confidence.
Ionescu managed to score 19 points, snag five rebounds, and dish out three assists in Game 1—numbers that look solid at first glance. But stats, as we know, are sneaky liars. Sabrina’s shooting efficiency went from hot girl summer to “Is it winter already?” She shot a chilly 30.8% from the field, a far cry from her regular-season 41.5% and her postseason flame-throwing 44.7%. It was the kind of shooting night that makes you want to ask, “Sabrina, you good?”
Brondello Spills the Tea
Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello wasn’t shy about her feelings after the game. While giving some props to the Lynx defense for their crafty schemes, she didn’t sugarcoat her critique of Ionescu’s approach. “Yeah, I think they threw different coverages at her, you know, with the switching, and she was trying to go a little too much one-on-one early,” Brondello said, likely trying to bite her tongue before saying, “Maybe pass the ball next time?”
But, don’t worry, Brondello did mention that other teams will always focus on stopping Ionescu—because, let’s face it, when she’s on, she’s unstoppable. “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 added, almost sounding like a proud mom… who also grounded you for sneaking out past curfew.
Sabrina’s Bounce-Back Guarantee
Despite the tough-love criticism, Brondello still believes in Sabrina’s ability to get back on track. “We had a tough shooting night. We all did,” Brondello explained, clearly in no mood to single out her star. “But what I know is that Sabrina’s a competitor, and she’ll get ready for Game 2 and come back stronger.”
Translation: Sabrina’s not the kind to wallow in self-pity. Expect her to show up in Game 2 like she’s got something to prove—because, well, she does.
The Pressure Is On
With the Liberty trailing 0-1 in the Finals, the pressure is as thick as New York traffic. Brondello and her squad are desperate for a win at home in the Barclays Center before heading to Minneapolis, where the Lynx are basically unbeatable. If Sabrina and the Liberty can make the right adjustments (hint: don’t try to win one-on-five), they still have a shot at capturing their fifth title.
The spotlight will be on Sabrina for Game 2, where she’ll have to prove that Thursday’s nightmare was just a one-off. Either she’s going to bounce back and remind everyone why she’s a certified bucket, or… well, let’s not think about the alternative.
Stay tuned, because the WNBA Finals are just heating up—unlike Sabrina’s shooting last game.
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