Sabrina Ionescu's damning assessment of New York Liberty corrected for Minnesota Lynx win

After committing 15 turnovers and shooting just 37.8 percent from the field in Game 1, New York Liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu admitted the team "defeated themselves" .

Despite the struggles in the opening game of the WNBA Finals, the Liberty bounced back for a big win in Game 2. The Liberty started Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on fire, building a lead as large as 18 points in the first half. But, they were left shocked on their home court in Brooklyn after a willing rally by the Minnesota Lynx, led by guard Courtney Williams , who scored 23 points in the overtime victory.

Following the defeat, Ionescu said the team "defeated themselves" due to costly mistakes and missed opportunities. Still, she also saw the loss as a valuable chance for the team to improve. "We kind of beat ourselves," Ionescu said. “It’s a crappy way to lose but understanding that a lot of that stuff is in our control to come out and be able to change it and not panicking. It’s one game and understanding we got an opportunity tomorrow to come out and be better.”

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Part of the Liberty's collapse in Game 1 was due to Ionescu's struggles with shooting and decision-making down the stretch. Despite finishing with 19 points, the All-Star guard made just 8 of her 26 shot attempts, including 3 of 9 from beyond the arc. Her inefficiency and team high three turnovers contributed to Liberty's inability to hold its lead. Defensively, Ionescu faced challenges as the primary defender on Kayla McBride, who scored 22 points and was a key factor in Minnesota's comeback.

Game 2 marked a big turnaround for Ionescu , delivering a much more efficient performance. She scored 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting and reduced her turnovers to just two, playing a cleaner game. Contributing on the defensive end, she helped to hold McBride to just eight points following her explosive performance in Game 1.

New York improved its shooting across the board, especially from deep, where the team connected on 45.8 percent of its three-point attempts. In contrast, the Lynx shot just 30.0 percent from deep.

The Liberty was just as aggressive at the beginning of the game offense, jumping out to a similar lead of 17 points. Instead of blowing the lead, the Liberty rode the hot hand of Breanna Stweart , who scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out five assists, and swiped a WNBA Finals-record seven steals.

New York also leaned on a strong offensive performance from Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who scored 20 points, including knocking down 4 of 6 three-point attempts. Her aggressive approach helped balance the Liberty's offense, with four of five starters scoring in double figures.

Game 3 of the finals will be played on Oct. 16. It will be Minnesota's first of two home games in a row during the series at the Target Center.