How did Sabrina Ionescu lead the Liberty to victory in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals?

MINNEAPOLIS --Sabrina Ionescu had to review footage in the locker room of her decisive 3-pointer from Wednesday night to fully appreciate its distance. However, she remarked that the moment she released the shot, she felt confident, thinking, "Yeah, this is in." Ionescu's remarkable 28-foot shot, which swished through the net with just one second remaining, was "definitely the biggest shot of my career" and secured an 80-77 comeback victory for the New York Liberty against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. The Liberty now stand just one win away from claiming their first league championship in franchise history. "I often visualize scenarios during my offseason practices, the night before a game, and on game day," Ionescu explained. "I consistently place myself in challenging situations. While I may not have performed at my best tonight, I believe that my ability to persevere has been a significant area of growth for me, regardless of whether the shots are falling." This particular shot was the tenth 3-pointer made by the Liberty during the game. Ionescu's basket left the Lynx's record crowd of 19,521 in disbelief, reminiscent of the shock the Minnesota team inflicted on the New York crowd in Game 1, which ended in a 95-93 overtime victory for the Lynx. The Liberty had previously squandered an 18-point lead in that match, while the Lynx relinquished a 15-point advantage on Wednesday. Both games featured dramatic shifts in momentum and pivotal plays, characteristic of the intense competition expected when the top two seeds vie for the championship. "The most challenging aspect of being in a series is navigating the numerous ups and downs," stated Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. "It requires exceptional mental and physical resilience to endure those fluctuations. We are disappointed—playing at home and performing well yet unable to secure the win. We must regroup and prepare for another opportunity here at home. We will see what we can achieve on Friday." The teams will reconvene at Target Center, with the Lynx aiming to force a decisive Game 5 back in New York on Sunday. Although Minnesota faces a challenging path, it is not without precedent; four other teams have previously won the WNBA title after trailing 2-1 in the Finals.

Go-Ahead 3 In Final 5 Seconds (WNBA Finals)

This was the fourth go-ahead 3-pointer in the final 5 seconds of a game in WNBA Finals history, and the first since Maya Moore in 2015. It was the first by the Liberty since 1999, when Teresa Weatherspoon hit "The Shot."

TEAM	YEAR	PLAYER	OPP
Liberty	2024	Sabrina Ionescu	Lynx
Lynx	2015	Maya Moore	Fever
Sparks	2002	Nikki Teasley	Liberty
Liberty	1999	Teresa Weatherspoon	Comets

New York has contended for the championship on five occasions prior to this year. One of the most memorable losses in those series occurred in 1999, when the Liberty secured victory in Game 2 of a best-of-three series against Houston, thanks to Teresa Weatherspoon's buzzer-beater from beyond half court. However, they were defeated the following day by the Comets. Weatherspoon's shot is frequently regarded as the most iconic in league history and is one of only four instances where a WNBA player has made a game-winning three-pointer in the final five seconds of a Finals match. The other instances include Maya Moore of Minnesota in Game 3 against Indiana in 2015, and Nikki Teasley of Los Angeles in Game 2 against New York in 2002. Teasley's shot clinched that series while it was still a best-of-three format. Although Moore and Minnesota lost Game 4 of the 2015 Finals, they ultimately triumphed in Game 5 to secure the championship. Ionescu has now become the fourth player to achieve this remarkable feat, mirroring New York's earlier victory when Weatherspoon made her historic shot 25 years ago. In a recent game, the Liberty held the lead for a mere 2 minutes and 19 seconds, marking the second-shortest duration of a lead in a Finals victory in WNBA history. The record for the shortest lead in a Finals win belongs to Game 2 of the 1999 Finals, where the Liberty led the Comets for just 2 minutes and 15 seconds before Weatherspoon's decisive shot. Ionescu has been focused on securing a long-awaited championship for New York since being drafted first overall in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of her senior season's NCAA tournament at Oregon. Unfortunately, she sustained a season-ending ankle injury in her third game with the Liberty, subsequently leaving the WNBA's COVID-19 bubble in Bradenton, Florida, to rehabilitate in California. Ionescu admitted that she found it difficult to watch many Liberty games on television that season, as the team concluded with a record of 2-20. She described her 28-foot three-pointer that won Game 3 of the WNBA Finals as "definitely the biggest shot of my career." Prior to the 2023 season, she was joined by free agents Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, and Jonquel Jones.