‘It’s About Us’ -- Sabrina Ionescu Reveals Liberty’s Approach to Questionable WNBA Officiating

The New York Liberty faced a significant challenge against the Atlanta Dream, trailing by 11 points at halftime amid a substantial free-throw disparity (28 attempts for Atlanta versus 11 for New York). Early struggles included Sabrina Ionescu’s 1-of-11 shooting, though Leonie Fiebich’s efforts provided critical support.

This officiating imbalance is familiar to the Liberty, who have won three games over the past two seasons when opponents attempted at least 16 more free throws—triple the combined total of the entire league in that period. Ionescu acknowledged the pattern with disbelief, joking about hoping to avoid such situations, but emphasized her team’s resilience: "We never let [officiating] be the reason we’re talking about refs—it’s about us."

Despite questionable calls, the Liberty focused on self-improvement, playing through the discrepancy to mount a second-half comeback. Ionescu reiterated postgame that the team prioritizes controlling their performance over blaming referees, underscoring their determination to "find a way to play through it."

Entering their final pre-All-Star game against the Indiana Fever, the defending champions hold title-contention potential despite recent inconsistency. After a 9-0 season start, they have won only three of their last nine games. A victory against the Fever would secure a three-game winning streak heading into the break.