Sabrina Ionescu, wearing her warmup jacket, sat next to Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart on Wednesday night as they sat and watched Game 2 come to a tormenting end. 

The benching wasn’t the reward for their labor over the past three quarters but the result of a rout in front of their fans as the Liberty waved the white flag entering the fourth. 

Text with Madeline Kenney as she follows the Liberty — she’s sharing behind-the-scenes info and insights with Sports+ subscribers.

The Mercury delivered a decisive 86-60 blow, which was the Liberty’s most lopsided loss of the season and second-worst playoff defeat in franchise history. 

The Mercury’s success sent the first-round series back to Phoenix for a winner-takes-all Game 3 on Friday and put the reigning champions’ season on the line.