In the fourth quarter, with less than eight minutes to go in Game 1 of Sunday’s semifinal matchup between the Liberty and Aces, Las Vegas’ Alysha Clark cheated too far into the paint to lend defensive help against Breanna Stewart, leaving Sabrina Ionescu open on the wing.
Stewart sent the ball to Ionescu, who swished one of her two consecutive 3-point daggers in the Liberty’s 87-77 win in front of a sold-out Barclays Center crowd.
semifinals at Barclays Center on Sept. 29, 2024. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
After sinking the shot, Ionescu ran past Spike Lee, pointing at the filmmaker and Brooklyn native in celebration.
Breanna Stewart’s 34 points power Liberty past Aces for Game 1 win
Lee, who was wearing an Ionescu jersey, pointed back in excitement for the Liberty star.
While the friendship has garnered the spotlight during the Liberty’s playoff run, the growing rapport between the two New York celebrities dates back to 2020, when Ionescu was the No. 1-overall pick in the draft out of Oregon.