Sabrina Ionescu scores 22 points to lead Liberty to Game 4 win over Aces and into WNBA Finals

LAS VEGAS — Sabrina Ionescu rebounded from a rare off game to score 22 points, and nearly a year after the Aces ended the Liberty’s dream of a championship, the Liberty returned the favor Sunday by beating Las Vegas, 76-62, to advance to the WNBA Finals.

The top-seeded Liberty will have home-court advantage in the championship series and will face either the Connecticut Sun or Minnesota Lynx, who will play Game 5 on Tuesday.

This is the Liberty’s sixth trip to the Finals, but the franchise is still seeking its first title. “We haven’t done anything yet,” said Breanna Stewart, who had 19 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots.

“This was a tough series, an emotional series for a number of different reasons. But we’re going to the Finals and we’re hosting Game 1 and Game 2. We’re ready to go. Just the feeling of not satisfied.”

The Liberty brought a 53-51 lead into the fourth quarter and outscored the Aces 16-2 to take a 69-53 lead with 3:38 left.

The Liberty lost in four games to the shorthanded Aces on Oct. 18, 2023, and turned the painful defeat into a mission. They have been the league’s best team this season and, including the playoffs, went 6-1 against Las Vegas.

Ionescu said the Aces “made us a better team,” and she made it clear that she respects how difficult it was for Las Vegas to win back-to-back titles.

But, no doubt, the Aces fueled the Liberty’s drive by how they celebrated after last season, with coach Becky Hammon even taking a shot at Stewart for going 3-for-17 in the final game.

“We talked our crap, they heard and they get to talk their crap,” Hammon said Sunday. “It’s part of the game. It’s not personal. I can talk crap all I want. At the end of the day, I have mad respect for Sandy [Brondello, the Liberty coach]. Sandy coached me. Me and Sandy go way back. Sab, Stewie, I have mad respect for those players. I think Stewie is phenomenal.”

Last year, the Aces became the first team since Los Angeles in 2001-02 to win back-to-back titles and were trying to become the first club to capture three successive championships since Houston took four straight in 1997-2000. “It’s hard,” said A’ja Wilson (19 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots). “Everybody wants to beat you. You’re everybody’s Super Bowl.”

Sun send series to Game 5

Ty Harris scored 20 points and Alyssa Thomas had 18 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds to help host Connecticut beat Minnesota, 92-82, and force a deciding Game 5 in their semifinal series Tuesday in Minnesota. The winner will face the Liberty in the WNBA Finals beginning Thursday at Barclays Center. Napheesa Collier had 29 points and 13 rebounds for the Lynx.