**Liberty Advance to Semifinals with Thrilling Win**
In a nail-biting finish, the New York Liberty secured a spot in the WNBA semifinals with a 91-82 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night. Sabrina Ionescu led the charge, tying a franchise playoff record with 36 points, while Jonquel Jones added 20 points and 13 rebounds to propel the top-seeded Liberty to a series sweep.
The Liberty will face either the Las Vegas Aces or the Seattle Storm in the next round, which begins Sunday in New York. Jones’ impressive performance marked her 19th career playoff double-double, moving her to fifth on the WNBA’s all-time list.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Liberty taking a slim one-point lead into the fourth quarter. However, a crucial layup by Courtney Vandersloot sparked a 12-2 run, which Breanna Stewart and Leonie Fiebich helped extend with key plays. The Dream’s Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard fought valiantly, but ultimately couldn’t overcome the Liberty’s surge.
Ionescu’s remarkable performance saw her score or assist on 55 points, the second-most in a series-clinching game in WNBA history. She became the third player to record 35 points and 5 assists in a playoff game, and the second to achieve this feat in a series-clinching win.
The Liberty’s victory snapped an 11-game playoff losing streak when trailing by five or more points at halftime, their first such win since 2008. The game drew a sellout crowd, featuring notable attendees including Olympian Gabby Thomas, singer Pharrell, and celebrities Spike Lee and Whoopi Goldberg. Rapper Ja Rule performed at halftime, adding to the electric atmosphere.
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