Liberty Survive Thrilling Finals Rematch

BROOKLYN-Even with some of the headlining heroines sidelined due to injury, the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces made sure that this season’s only WNBA Finals rematch at Barclays Center lived up to the hype.

Presumed MVP A’ja Wilson held out and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was removed in the fourth quarter but the leftovers treated 15,393 on Atlantic Avenue to a thrilling showdown, one the Liberty took by a 75-71 final.

Breanna Stewart had a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double while Jonquel Jones added 15 more. Sabrina Ionescu went 6-of-21 en route to 14 points but half of that came in the fourth, including the go-ahead jumper with 43 seconds remaining.

Though Wilson was missing, New York secured a three-game sweep of the regular season series with the Aces, the team that beat them in shorthanded fashion in last season’s WNBA Finals in Brooklyn.

With the win, the Liberty (29-6) also lowered their unofficial magic number to clinch homecourt advantage to three but it hardly came easy despite a holding a lead that reached as high as 20: New York managed to cool off Vegas’ scintillating three-point shooting (the Aces scored each of their first 18 tallies beyond the arc, needing just seven tries to do so) in a sterling second quarter, building a 45-33 lead by intermission.

A 13-3 run toward the end of the third created the fateful 20-point and had both contemplating whether to empty their bench or push forward with the primary women.

The fourth period opening with 10 straight Las Vegas points made the decision for everyone but New York was missing one of its finest faces: Laney-Hamilton, back in the starting five for the second time since she missed over a month due to a knee procedure, was lost to another knee ailment when she was unintentional vicitm of friendly fire, making full-speed contact with Jones. Laney-Hamilton was able to gingerly walk back to the bench with some assistance but did not return to the game.

Vegas wound up posting a 20-4 run en route to a 71-70 lead taken when Sydney Colson sank a triple with 1:54 remaining. Though both Stewart and Ionescu missed some opportunities at the foul line, crucial rebounds … including one on the defensive end for Fiebich after Ionescu’s go-ahead tally … New York had just enough left to pull off the narrow victory.

Paced by 25 points for Kelsey Plum, who shot 5-of-10 from three-point range, Las Vegas (22-13) continues to sit in fourth place on the current WNBA playoff bracket, which would place a potential playoff rematch in the second round’s semifinals.

The Liberty are back in action on Tuesday when they open a two-game set in North Texas against the Dallas Wings (8 p.m. ET, CBSSN).

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