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Sabrina Ionescu delivered a vintage performance when the Liberty desperately needed it.
With many fans at Barclays Center donning the neon, construction-themed shirts distributed as part of a Ionescu giveaway, she delivered 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals for a Liberty group trying to adapt without an injured Breanna Stewart during their 101-99 loss to the Sparks on Saturday.
Ionescu became the fourth player in WNBA history to record that statline — joining Caitlin Clark, Candace Parker and Brandy Reed, according to the team.
“Just trying to play my game, and read when the defense gives me,” Ionescu said. “Continue to find ways to facilitate and be the best that I can for this offense. Obviously, we were down players that normally score a lot for us, so trying to get some easy ones, finding the shot in the midrange, get to the basket, to the free-throw line. Just kind of do what I do every single night and find a way to try and win.”
Ionescu poured in 17 points during the first half, but Los Angeles contained her for the third quarter and the early portion of the fourth.
But that’s when Ionescu took over, and she tied the game with just over two minutes left after converting an and-one.
Then, she hit a pair of jumpers in the final minutes to help answer the Sparks, following up her 29-point performance against the Mercury on Friday with her third 30-point game of the season one night later.
When the Liberty needed someone to help replace the production of Stewart down the stretch, Ionescu, along with Natasha Cloud (22 points) converted in key spots.
But after the Liberty couldn’t get a stop on the final possession, Ionescu, who entered the night averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game and made a fourth consecutive All-Star Game, never got another chance to ensure her dominant night ended with a victory.
Kennedy Burke only played 6:08 and was ruled out with cramping, head coach Sandy Brondello said. Leonie Fiebich, who finished with 10 points, had her hand wrapped after injuring it Friday.
With her block, Jonquel Jones moved into seventh place on the Liberty’s all-time blocks list with 114, passing Janel McCarville.
Stephanie Talbot, signed by the Liberty this week after getting waived by the Valkyries, logged 17 minutes — her most since arriving in Brooklyn — and was on the court during the final moments of the game. She went 0-for-2 from the field and collected four rebounds.
“It’s hard for her,” Brondello said. “She’s hardly practiced.”
