Aces lock up Ionescu, finally top N.Y. to stay alive

LAS VEGAS — Wherever Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu looked Friday while on offense, there were Aces defenders right on top of her.

“They didn’t give me the light of day,” Ionescu said.

Las Vegas staved off elimination with a 95-81 victory in Game 3 of its WNBA semifinal series with New York. That was thanks in large part to improved defense and a huge sense of urgency.

Ionescu has been scoreless just once in her WNBA career, in 2021, but the Aces nearly pulled that off Friday. Her only points came on a free throw after an Aces technical foul and a 3-pointer, both in the fourth quarter.

“Every game of the series, things have been changing,” Ionescu said. “They lost two games allowing me to come off screens and pick them apart offensively. So I think this game you were able to see the adjustments they made — sending two or three to the ball at one time and not letting me get anything easy. There were usually three people in my face, no matter what.”

Aces coach Becky Hammon said she gave her team’s defense an A-plus, especially against Ionescu. The Liberty were held to 38.8% shooting from the field, compared with the Aces’ 52.1%.

“I just think we were proactive, just stirring it up and trying to make Sabrina uncomfortable,” Hammon said.

Entering Friday, the Aces had lost five in a row against the Liberty: three in the regular season and the first two games of this series in Brooklyn.

“The likelihood of us going 6-0 against them this year was slim,” Ionescu said. “It would have been really impressive; they’re back-to-back champions. We’re still up 2-1, and we’ve always come back from a loss really well.”

The Liberty, who went 32-8 in the regular season, knew where the Aces were coming from Friday. New York was in the same position last year when the teams met in the WNBA Finals. The Aces won the first two games at home, then the Liberty won Game 3 in New York.

“This is when teams are most dangerous, when their backs are against the wall and they’re going to throw everything at you,” said forward Breanna Stewart, who led New York with 19 points. “They came out and did what they were supposed to do tonight. Our conversations in the locker room afterward [were] we have to keep our heads up because Game 4 is coming very, very quickly.”

The teams will meet again at Michelob Ultra Arena on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC).

The Liberty hope the pattern from last season’s playoff battle with the Aces stays the same: with the series ending in four games. That would send New York to its sixth attempt to win the WNBA championship.

The Aces, in contrast, hope they can continue what would be a historic rally from being down 2-0 in a series, something no WNBA team has done, and keep pursuing a three-peat.

League MVP A’ja Wilson had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Las Vegas. The Aces’ starting guard trio — Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young — combined for 54 points and 13 assists.

“Defensively, we were so locked in,” Gray said. “And offensively, when we’re able to get [that kind of defense] and then run our fast break and secondary options, it’s not even just about wide-open layups. They’re on their heels.”