The New York Liberty narrowly avoided a historic collapse at Barclays Center, securing an 85-81 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. Despite holding a massive 28-point advantage late in the fourth quarter,the Liberty struggled to contain a furious Los Angeles rally that nearly rewrote the WNBA record books.
The 21-0 rampage that nearly broke the Liberty
The New York Liberty faced a near-catastrophic fourth quarter at Barclays Center, nearly surrendering their dominance to the Los Angeles Sparks. According to the report, the Liberty held a 28-point advantage with 9:48 remaining in the final frame before the Sparks launched a stunning 21-0 run. This surge brought Los Angeles within a single point with just 21.7 seconds left on the clock, threatening to tie the game and potentially set a new WNBA record for the largest comeback.
Sabrina Ionescu attempted to steady the ship for New York, finishing with a team-high 20 points. While Jonquel Jones provided a massive presence in the paint with 18 rebounds, the Liberty's defensive intensity plummeted during their worst fourth-quarter showing of the season, allowing the Sparks to transform a blowout into a frantic scramble for survival.
A struggling Sparks squad without Kelsey Plum
Despite their recent struggles, the Los Angeles Sparks showed significant resilience during their August 13 matchup. The Sparks entered the game having lost eight of their previous ten contests, a trend that often suggests a team destined for the draft lottery. However, the absence of star guard Kelsey Plum , who was traded to the Phoenix Mercury at the deadline, did not prevent the Sparks from mounting a historic offensive surge.
This performance suggests that even a rebuilding roster can pose a massive threat if an opponent loses focus. Coming off an "obliteration" in Indiana , the Liberty appeared to underestimate a Sparks team that refused to wave the white flag, even as they fought to stay relevant in a difficult season.
Chris DeMarco's failed challenge and the final 57 seconds
The closing moments of the game were defined by high-stakes decisions and unforced errors from both sides.. With 3:50 remaining in a four-point game, Sparks head coach Chris DeMarco attempted to challenge a Marine Johannes foul, but the challenge was unsuccessful and exhausted the team's final timeout. As the report notes, Dearica Hamby later converted a layup to cut the deficit to 82-79 with 57.9 seconds left, followed by a critical inbounds pass error from Pauline Astier that allowed Ariel Atkins to recover the ball for Los Angeles.
The tension reached its peak when Rae Burrell made a layup to bring the score to 82-81 with 21.7 seconds remaining.. Ultimately, Sabrina Ionescu saved the day for New York by knocking in a pair of crucial free throws to restore a three-point cushion, allowing the Liberty to escape with the win.
The mystery of the Liberty's disappearing 28-point cushion
While the Liberty secured the 85-81 victory, several questions remain regarding their defensive stabiilty in high-pressure moments. The source highlights that the Liberty palyed poorly in the final quarter, raising concerns about their ability to close out games against lower-ranked opponents. It remains unclear whether this collapse was a result of fatigue following their recent loss to Indiana or a systemic failure in their defensive rotations during the Sparks' 21-0 run.
Furthermore, the report does not address how the Liberty's coaching staff plans to prevent such massive leads from evaporating in future matchups . The team must also reconcile how a roster featuring elite talents like Ionescu and Jones allowed a team fighting for lottery positioning to dominate the final minutes of play.
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