If the New York Liberty were looking for a clear sign that Sabrina Ionescu has returned to form, they found it on Tuesday. The Liberty guard recorded her first double-double of the season, leading her team to an 87-76 win against the Las Vegas Aces.
For much of this season, the nearly untouchable aura surrounding Ionescu and her typical performance had seemingly vanished. It was largely attributed to the nagging foot and back injuries that plagued her.
It wasn’t so long ago that fans were calling her out after she scored just two points in a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. Now, Ionescu has silenced critics by letting her performance deliver the rebuttal. This dominant performance from the four-time All-Star was exactly what the team required.
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon has been impressed with Ionescu’s return to form, but she’s not surprised by it.
“She’s a world-class basketball player,” Hammon told reporters after the game. “I’m not surprised that she can put up a big game for you. She’s just getting back to form. You know, she’s been out for a while, but nothing that she does surprises me with a basketball. She’s a very good basketball player, so, yeah, I think it’s just her getting back to form.”
Ionescu missed 12 games this season as she was once again bothered by injuries. She had to miss the opening few games due to a foot injury, and then missed a few more with a back injury. She had a season-high 16 points along with 10 rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes. While she still has some catching up to do, it looks like she is finally getting there.
Sabrina Ionescu Discusses Early Struggles to Open Season, Emphasizes Trusting the Process
If there’s one thing Sabrina Ionescu has learned during her WNBA career, it’s the art of being patient, trusting the process, and putting in the work.
“Just trying to put together a full 40 minutes,” Ionescu said after her breakout performance. “It’s something we’ve been talking about. Just continuing to lock in, don’t look at the score, but just play our brand of basketball.”
When asked about how she is finding her rhythm:
“Just continue to chip away, trust in the process. You know, I obviously know what I can do, but it’s been tough being out for a month. So just kind of taking every day in stride and doing what I can to help my team win.”
It looks like the 28-year-old wasn’t worried at all, as she knew it was just a matter of time before she would find her rhythm. With the win, the Liberty were able to snap their two-game losing skid and will now set out to face the Seattle Storm on Thursday.
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