WNBA: Ionescu scores 36 points, Liberty advance to semifinals

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts with Breanna Stewart (30) during the first half of a first-round WNBA basketball playoff game against the Atlanta Dream, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

NEW YORK— The New York Liberty have been focused on bringing the first championship to the franchise after falling just short last year.

They moved one step closer to that goal as Sabrina Ionescu tied a franchise playoff record with 36 points to help the Liberty beat the Atlanta Dream 91-82 on Tuesday night and advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.

“The ultimate goal is what it is. But, you know, it’s every single game is a championship game to get to that final goal,” Ionescu said. “And obviously our goal is to not lose at home. So this was really important for us to come out, take these two and have a couple days off and kind of rest, recharge and get ready for whatever it is we’re going to play.”

READ: New York Liberty riding WNBA boom into playoffs

Jonquel Jones added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the top-seeded Liberty, who swept the best-of-three series and will face Las Vegas in the next round that begins Sunday in New York. The Aces beat the Liberty in the WNBA Finals last season.

“We have unfinished business,” Jones said.

The Liberty took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter and the teams went back and forth before a layup by Courtney Vandersloot made it 75-72 with 5:41 left and started a 12-2 run. Breanna Stewart followed later in the spurt by swooping in for an offensive tip-in. It was her first points since the second quarter.

Leonie Fiebich, who scored 21 points in the opening game, then had a three-point play to extend the advantage to 82-74 with 4:11 left. She then hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to give New York a double-digit advantage for the first time in the game.

READ: WNBA playoff picture comes into focus as Liberty clinch top seed

“It had a little bit of everything,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said of the run.

Atlanta couldn’t get closer than seven the rest of the way.

“I don’t think it was anything they did different,” Rhyne Howard said of New York’s stretch run. “We fought pretty hard, laid it out there. Coach told us to not go home with any regrets and we did that.”

New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) high-fives Breanna Stewart, right, as Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) looks on while Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray ducks away during the first half of a first-round WNBA basketball playoff game, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Allisha Gray and Howard did all they could to try and stave off elimination. Gray finished with 26 points and Howard added 19. She also had a massive block on Stewart on a fast break in the third quarter.

“We watched it four or five times before we came in here (to the postgame presser),” Howard said smiling.

Stewart was impressed with the play by Howard

“She timed it really well,” the Liberty star said. “She got the block. I got the win.”

Unlike Game 1, when New York jumped all over Atlanta, the Dream got off to a quick start behind Gray. They led 28-19 as Gray had 14 points in the opening 10 minutes, hitting all five of her shots, including four 3-pointers.

Atlanta was up 11 in the second quarter before Ionescu started hitting deep 3s. She rallied the Liberty to take a brief 40-36 lead before the Dream closed the half on a 12-3 run to go up 48-43 at the break.

Ionescu tied Cappie Pondexter for the most points by a Liberty player in the postseason. Pondexter set the mark in 2010 also against the Dream.

“I guess I should have had one more,” Ionescu said, laughing.

The game drew another sellout crowd for New York that included Olympian Gabby Thomas, singer Pharrell as well as Spike Lee and Whoopi Goldberg. Rapper Ja Rule performed at halftime.

Ionescu said she got a high five from Lee during the third quarter.

“I felt like New York was injected into me. I was like, we’re winning this,” Ionescu said.