Sabrina Ionescu vs. Caitlin Clark playoff stats: Who is performing better in WNBA 2024?

As Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty look to close out their series tonight against the Las Vegas Aces, there has been plenty of talk regarding where Ionescu ranks among the league's top guards.

Because Ionescu entered the WNBA after a standout collegiate career, where she earned three straight All-American nods, many compare her with rookie sensation Caitlin Clark.

While Clark and the Indiana Fever are out of the WNBA title hunt, she and Ionescu's playing styles have also garnered several comparisons. In addition to being three-point specialists, the pair are elite playmakers.

This season, Ionescu averaged a career-high 18.2 points per game, up from 17.0 points per game last season. Her 19.4 ppg average landed her ninth on the league's regular-season leaderboard, just behind Kelsey Mitchell and Clark, who averaged 19.2 points per game.

Moreover, the two finished the season with nearly identical shooting splits, with Clark shooting 41.7% from the field and 34.4% from deep, and Ionescu shooting 41.5% from the field and 34.4% from downtown.

Regarding assists, Ionescu averaged 5.9 assists per game, just shy of her career-high 6.3 apg average during the 2022 season. Conversely, Clark's 8.4 assists per game led the league.

Finally, both players posted similar rebounding numbers. Clark grabbed 5.7 rebounds per game, whereas Ionescu averaged 4.4 rpg. On the defensive side, both players cracked the 1.0 spg marker, with Clark averaging 1.3 spg and Ionescu averaging 1.0 spg.

Comparing postseason stats between Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark

After a hard-fought regular season that saw the Indiana Fever make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the team faced the Connecticut Sun, who swept them in the first round.

Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu's Liberty topped the WNBA with a 32-8 record, which saw them match up with the Atlanta Dream in the first round. After advancing to the second round, the team hopes to unseat the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

So far, Ionescu ranks second among all postseason players in scoring with a 24.7 ppg average, while Clark, who played in just two postseason games before being eliminated, averaged 18.0 ppg.

While Ionescu has the postseason scoring advantage, Clark has the edge regarding assist numbers. Clark averages 8.5 apg in the postseason, while Ionescu averages 6.3 apg.

Clark also has an edge over Sabrina Ionescu on the glass, averaging 5.0 rpg throughout the postseason, whereas Ionescu is averaging 3.3 rpg.

On the defensive side, the two players are tied with a 2.0 spg average. However, given that Ionescu and the Liberty are still in the postseason, that tie will likely be broken.

While Clark's advantage in many statistical categories over Ionescu is impressive, the numbers don't fully illustrate which player is better. Several factors contribute to their value that go beyond the tangible.

What is clear, however, is that both Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu are two of the most prolific guards in the league and appear poised to dominate for years to come.