Ionescu Struggles in Liberty’s Loss to Valkyries

Sabrina Ionescu faced a challenging game as the Liberty fell to the Valkyries, 79-60, at Barclays Center.

In this outing, Ionescu managed to hit only 2 of her 12 shots, converting just 1 of 9 from three-point range, which left her with a meager seven points.

But she wasn’t alone in her struggles; other Liberty players also found it tough against the aggressive Valkyries defense.

Leonie Fiebich and Rebecca Allen also had difficulties, with Fiebich sinking only 1 of 6 attempts from beyond the arc, and Allen 1 of 4.

As a team, the Liberty recorded their lowest shooting percentage of the season at 30.2% and made only 7 of 31 shots from three-point territory.

This performance isn’t just a one-time issue for Ionescu; she’s been in a rough patch for over three weeks.

During the past seven games, she’s taken a team-high 50 shots from three, despite missing a game due to a foot injury.

Curiously, she ranks fourth in successful three-pointers, having made only eight of those attempts.

After the loss, Ionescu wasn’t specifically addressed about her recent struggles, but while Allen expressed her disappointment in the game, Ionescu stated she wasn’t “personally disappointed.”

“I think we got really good looks,” she reflected. “We just didn’t make them.”

This season, Ionescu has had her share of injuries, including a recent left foot issue that kept her out of the Liberty’s match on August 15.

It’s uncertain if an ongoing injury is affecting her performance.

In any case, a break might be just what she needs.

Looking ahead, after their game against Natasha Cloud and the Chicago Sky on Saturday, the Liberty will have a break for the FIBA World Cup. The WNBA season will resume on September 17.

Although Ionescu wasn’t selected for the U.S. roster, she intends to use this time to work on her fitness. “I want to feel good and be healthy,” she noted.

“Hopefully, I’ll have fresh legs and be in rhythm for the last four regular-season games and into the playoffs,” she added.

With the playoff teams already decided, attention shifts to the seeding, following Thursday’s loss that pushed the Liberty to eighth place, setting them up to meet the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round.

Ionescu mentioned she’s not focused on the standings since it is out of their control. Still, she seems optimistic about the clean slate the playoffs can provide.

“We’ve never discussed our positioning as a team,” she commented. “What matters is focusing on peaking at the right time and playing our style of basketball. Knowing the playoffs mean a fresh start could really help us put the regular season behind us.”