Sabrina Ionescu Stats Tonight: Liberty superstar records playoff career-high in comeback win vs Dream

Sabrina Ionescu's playoff career-high 36 points carried the New York Liberty to a 91-82 win over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday. The victory ended the first-round playoff series between both teams after New York completed a sweep. Ionescu and Co. will meet the winner of the Seattle Storm versus Las Vegas Aces series.

In arguably her best game of the season, Ionescu dissected Atlanta’s defense from start to finish. The sweet-shooting guard scored when she had to and orchestrated plays when needed. She was unquestionably the Game 2 MVP.

Here are Ionescu’s numbers in Game 2 against Atlanta:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FG	3-PT FG	FT	TO	+/-
Sabrina Ionescu	36	1	9	3	0	12-23	5-11	7-7	2	+11

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What was Sabrina Ionescu's impact on the night?

Sabrina Ionescu was the New York Liberty’s brightest spot for nearly the entire Game 2 against the Atlanta Dream. New York, which hosted the first two games of the series, had a lethargic start in the rematch. The Liberty trailed 28-19 after the first quarter, a deficit that might have been bigger without the All-Star guard’s shooting and playmaking.

Ionescu scattered seven points with two assists in the first 10 minutes. On a night when the Liberty were nowhere their efficient selves, the sharpshooter stood out. Whether it was shooting the ball or setting up teammates, she had machine-like precision.

The second quarter was more of the same from the three-time All-Star. Ionescu added six points with four assists to continue giving life to New York’s offense. With the Dream defense focusing more on her, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart had more daylight to operate. Ionescu finished the first half with 13 points and seven assists.

Sabrina Ionescu took what the Atlanta Dream defense gave her. After dishing times in the first half, Atlanta’s defense sagged off a bit to cut off her passing lanes. Ionescu obliged them by dropping 11 points in the third frame. “Sathreena” forced the Dream to pick their poison and punished them regardless of their choice.

After trailing 28-19 in the first quarter, New York won the next two periods 46-36 to take a 65-64 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Atlanta desperately tried to stay alive in the final period, but New York had already pulled themselves together. They executed their strategies on both ends of the floor to take the fourth quarter 26-18 and win 91-82.

The Dream did everything they could in Game 2 and nearly pulled off an upset. If not for Sabrina Ionescu's career playoff night, the series might have been extended to a winner-take-all in Atlanta.