No team in WNBA history ever has come back from an 0-2 hole in a five-game playoff series, and the Liberty definitely understood that assignment Tuesday night.
The league’s No. 1 seed held on and held serve on its home court, seizing control of this semifinal series in its quest to avenge last year’s finals loss to the nemesis Aces with a nail-biting 88-84 Game 2 victory at Barclays Center.
The series will shift to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Friday.
Leading scorer Breanna Stewart followed up her 34-point effort in the opener with 15 points but a season-high eight assists and two game-sealing free throws in the final seconds.
Sabrina Ionescu overcame a slow shooting start to finish with a team-best 24 points, and Jonquel Jones contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.
Former starter Courtney Vandersloot added 12 off the bench for the Liberty, who totaled 22 points off 13 turnovers by the Aces.
League MVP A’ja Wilson netted only six points in the first half before finishing with a team-high 24.
Liberty’s Game 2 win. Michelle Farsi / New York Post
Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray had 17 and 14, respectively, for Las Vegas, but Kelsey Plum was held to six points on 2-for-9 shooting.