


The Las Vegas Aces have been labeled a super-team.
They entered Sunday having lost just two games this year, the clear favorite for the WNBA title.
Apparently, Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty didn’t get the memo.
A national TV audience, a nearly-sold-out Barclays Center crowd and a date with a historically dominant Las Vegas team didn’t phase the Liberty, who blew out the Aces in a 99-61, statement victory behind Ionescu’s 31 points and scorching 17-for-38 3-point shooting as a team.
In the first of four meetings during what should be a telling month of August for both the Liberty and the Aces, the league’s two best teams, the Liberty wrote the story of this potential WNBA finals preview, posting the largest victory of the season.
After earning a five-point halftime lead, an electric third quarter when the Liberty outscored the Aces 30-9 and launched a barrage of five 3-pointers put the game firmly out of reach. They led by as much as 42 during the fourth quarter, during which the Aces scored just eight points.
The Liberty avenged their previous loss to Las Vegas, when the Aces — who stand at an unreal 24-3 and are routinely blowing out teams — defeated the Liberty in a comfortable, 98-81 win in Las Vegas on June 29.
“[It’s] really important to build rivalries because then you have games of consequence,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert said before the game.
“You have games people want to watch — hopefully we’ll get a big viewership number today. I think the attendance will be really good here today. So that’s what rivalries are all about. And again, you do need household names along with them.”
The Liberty’s household names made their presence felt Sunday, while the Aces’ two-time MVP A’ja Wilson had a noticeably quiet night.
After Wilson took an elbow to the face from Liberty center Jonquel Jones that was ruled a Flagrant 1 penalty, she finished the day with just nine points on two-of-14 shooting to go with seven rebounds.
Ionescu caught fire from deep during a brilliant second quarter, nailing five deep 3-pointers en route to 23 first-half points, igniting an energetic Barclays Center crowd while helping power the Liberty to a 49-44 lead after the first 20 minutes.

Jackie Young led the way for the Aces, finishing with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting.
Liberty star Breanna Stewart posted 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in a characteristically great all-around day.
The Liberty and Aces will meet again on Aug. 17 to play for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup title in Las Vegas.