WNBA FINALS: MINNESOTA VS. NEW YORK

October 13, 2024

Sandy Brondello

Breanna Stewart

Sabrina Ionescu

New York Liberty

Game 2: Postgame

New York Liberty 80, Minnesota Lynx 66

Q. Stewie, they cut it to 68-66 with 3:40 left. Felt a lot like Game 1 but you guys wouldn't lose. What was the difference down the stretch that didn't happen on Thursday?

BREANNA STEWART: What we continued to keep saying to one another was like stay together, keep playing. Every rebound matters. And even if our offense gets a little bit stagnant and funky, we are not going to let that dictate what we do defensively.

Q. Coach, obviously we know Betnijah has not been hundred percent but she looked 150 percent today. Tied her season scoring high. How big a game was this and was this the game plan to see her take over those opportunities she got?

SANDY BRONDELLO: Yeah, massive. They have been going under on screens so we encouraged her to shoot the three. She's a great three-point shooter. She was stroking it yesterday in practice before the game.

Yeah, she was digging deep and that's what we needed. We knew we needed to bounce back and it was a big bounce-back game. They contained Leonie a little bit after what she did in Game 1 but B helped us get this margin to win the game.

Q. Stewie, you had a Finals record seven steals and three were in the fourth quarter. Did you have a mindset of, I'm not going to let us lose this game?

BREANNA STEWART: Absolutely. Just like not letting history repeat itself and knowing that Game 1 happened but now, you know, how can we control Game 2 and I think that honestly the thought process was, we were trying to be up a little bit more. Like not letting them get to the three-point line to set up their offense. And then in to out, whether I'm helping, I know that Sab or whoever else is helping on my backside, and making them have to move just a little bit quicker than they want to.

Q. (Question off microphone about Geno Auriemma.)

BREANNA STEWART: No. Honestly -- sorry, I'll just rant (laughter).

I kind of texted him and I was like, you know what it's about time that you come to my game. I've been here for two years and he hasn't come down. What are you doing? Yeah, CD (Dailey) came and she got that same message, too.

SANDY BRONDELLO: It's a long drive.

BREANNA STEWART: Two hours.

Q. What does Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, even if not a hundred percent, bring to the table that even others at full strength might not provide?

BREANNA STEWART: I think what B brings is this grit, this toughness, knowing that -- and all of us know, she's giving us whatever she's got, and the way that she continued to be aggressive, they were going under on her and she knocked that thing down with confidence, got into the paint, drive and kicks.

But that's what we're used to. We know she can do this and happy to see her get into a good rhythm with everything that's been up and down this season and know that she's a big factor in everything we do.

Q. I know you have a lot of defensive responsibilities but specifically the job that you did on Napheesa, was there anything you were trying to take away from her?

BREANNA STEWART: Absolutely. I think that the first thing was higher pick-up points, knowing that if Leo was going to be up, really trying to limit Courtney Williams, then I need to be there, too. So when Phee is dribbling up it's without any pressure.

Obviously knowing her tendencies. She wants to go left, she wants to go over the right shoulder. She's going to pump fake a million times. So just staying down and making her continue to take tough shot that she doesn't want to take.

Q. Sabrina, you hit five shots in the first quarter but then went away from your offense a lot. What adjustments were they making and how do you think you were able to stay poised and not force too much of the action today?

SABRINA IONESCU: That's really what my goal was, was just take what the defense gives me and not forcing anything but understanding I'm going to be able to drive and kick. And players hit, multiple players hit really big shots. But obviously I think coming out like that was great for us to get going.

And then in the second half, they made some adjustments and I think it was understanding being able to drive passing lanes and find the open man, if they are going to bring a few on the ball.

So I just did that. I don't always need to be looking to score every single time I have the ball. Just continue to make the right read and understanding what it is that provides our best offense as a team.

Q. As you're thinking through how you're using Betnijah, how much does the amount of impact she's able to have early on, and thinking through how much you can keep her in and what her overall load is? And Stewie, just down the stretch, especially when things got close, seemed like you and B were the two voices in those huddles. Can you take me through what her messaging was out of that?

SANDY BRONDELLO: I think everyone has seen her. She's been struggling but she's been feeling good these last few days, can tell you that much. She has been.

We just knew it was a bit of time. We've given her so much rest here and she was ready to go. She puts the work in. Like I said, she's tough. We talked about the grittiness that she gives us.

But it's great that you put the ball in her hand and be more of a playmaker, because it takes a little bit more pressure off these two in particular. I thought that was very effective for us. But her defense, she was everywhere. She was guarding everyone. I'm really happy for her. We just have to freshen up and get ready for the next game.

BREANNA STEWART: I think what B and I were continuing to say in the huddles was defensively, you know, the schemes because they went small. So it means our matchups are a little bit different. And making sure that we have each other's help. If we are weak side, who is high, who is low. Just those type of things, and knowing that like scores and stops, we're playing the long game in the last two minutes, and making sure that we are all are on the same page.

Q. Back to the regular season for a second. What did you guys miss most while B was out during the year and what do you feel you most learned as a team during her absence in the regular season?

SANDY BRONDELLO: Look, I mean, I think we missed her grittiness and just she's the ultimate competitor. She takes pride -- she used to always guard the best player and obviously now we have Leo, too, that makes us really a versatile defensive team.

But you also miss her play-making. That's something we talked about this year. We wanted to make sure she could play-make more and it was hard for to play-make when she was hobbling around with the knee. We need her to get confidence first, and then to go out and play.

She's just impactful because she plays at both ends of the floor, and plays hard, and she's a winner. So happy that she got the success tonight and keep building on it.

Q. I'm pretty sure Vivian Stringer was also here. I wondered which college coaches will you be requesting to come to the game in Minnesota?

SANDY BRONDELLO: Well, I'm not from here.

Geno. Vivian, has been here for B. It's great.

It's a full house tonight. It was really loud.

BREANNA STEWART: Largest crowd ever.

SANDY BRONDELLO: Loudest.

BREANNA STEWART: Largest.

SANDY BRONDELLO: Largest.

BREANNA STEWART: She's not from here.

SANDY BRONDELLO: I'm not from here. Loudest? Largest.

I'm not from here. It's great. We talked about the winner is women's basketball, WNBA. So many fans coming out to watch these amazing players play, but yeah, they are all welcome. All coaches.

SABRINA IONESCU: My coach is coming to Minnesota.

SANDY BRONDELLO: Okay. Kelly is coming.

SABRINA IONESCU: Go Ducks.

Q. After Game 1 you spoke about the team's resiliency and bouncing back. For you personally, how good did it feel to bounce back after the way the last game ended?

BREANNA STEWART: Absolutely. I think the moment the game ended Thursday night, I was looking forward to Sunday, just to be able to kind of change things, change the narrative a little bit, and know that I'm going to come out and be the same that I was and be obviously better.

But throughout this entire process, my team has my back every step of the way and was just excited to have another opportunity to go to battle with them. Because we have a lot of fun in everything that we do, and you know, it's not always like that.

Q. Obviously you've had a lot of playoff experience in Seattle and New York obviously. I'm wondering after all this time, especially after Game 1, how much did the ability down the stretch in the fourth quarter to maintain pace in the halfcourt, and not settling for shots earlier in the clock has made a difference in series like these?

BREANNA STEWART: It was the difference in this last game. I think that especially after watching the film of Game 1, we slowed down to a pace that is a little bit awkward for us. We want to play fast and we want to move the ball and we want to get downhill and we want to score, obviously.

So making sure that no matter what, we continue to play fast, we get good shots and we get that defense moving.

Q. Point guards have to handle a lot of pressure. How has that evolved for you over time and how has that impacted your play now?

SABRINA IONESCU: Understanding how teams are playing me and being able to make that adjustment in real time. Possession by possession, quarter by quarter, teams have kind of changed the way they have guarded, whether they are switching, hedging, trapping. And I think being able to just be poised and understanding what it is that I need to do in order to create an advantage for the team that we have out there on the floor is what I've always wanted to do, and I feel like I've been able to do that in a really good spot.

Obviously my teammates set really good screens and are able to get me open in order for me open to create for them.

Q. The small ball lineup has worked for Minnesota and has been the reason they have been able to turn big leads you guys have had. What will be the primary factor countering that going forward knowing it will be used again late?

SABRINA IONESCU: I'd say it worked pretty well for us, understanding that we use our big lineup and knowing that, you know, we can get the ball inside. We can switch. We're able to apply pressure defensively with our length and being able to get steals and just disrupt their flow.

But obviously it's a series and it's a chess match and they are going to throw different adjustments, and I think our ability to stay poised and being able to kind of see what it is that they are doing in real time is going to be crucial.

Now we have seen their small ball lineup and we're going to go back and find ways that we can execute while they have that group on the floor.

Q. It seems as if like today there was more emphasis on making better shot selections and decision-making, and in particular, getting Jones the ball down the stretch. Can you talk about just keying in on that principle of play in today's game?

SANDY BRONDELLO: Yeah, I mean, obviously we weren't happy the way we played we and we talked about our principles of play. We have it on our wall, there's a way that we want to play when we are at out best, when we are at pace and moving it, setting good screens and getting second and third side when we need it, but with a good inside-outside attack. We came out, and I think that was very effective for us.

We always want to try to get the ball to JJ. They bring a lot of congestion and we probably would have liked to put it in more cleaner in some areas but she demands so much attention down there. I thought the are best thing was obviously just getting on the boards. I think she was fantastic for us.

And that's what we need. You know, some games you are going to get more touches than other games and shoot but it's more about playing in the right way and sharing the ball and good to great. I think shot selection wasn't great last game. So it's about making those adjustments and continue to play the way that we want to play.

Q. You mentioned Leo only making one shot and that was off a loose ball, beginning of the shot clock, minute and a half to go, she could have held it out and bled some time. What does that say about her to take that shot? And did a part of you think, no", no, yes" on that?

SANDY BRONDELLO: I was thinking no, no, she's up -- no, no, she's going to shoot it. But a three-point shot is a layup for her. We encourage her to shoot all those threes. I know she missed one just before it. But I love the confidence that she brings.

We talk about her being a rookie. She's not really a rookie. She has this experience in really big moments and the mindset to handle this atmosphere extremely well, and to make a play like that, I mean, I love it. She's an amazing player and an amazing human being.

Q. Curious if you could take me through that last Betnijah three. It came off a no-look pass from you on the drive. What were you seeing there and what did that shot mean to the game?

SABRINA IONESCU: Yeah, you know, I think kind of piggybacking off of the question that I answered from Pepper, it's understanding when I'm getting into the paint, the defense has to make a decision. They are either going to come and take me or they are going to play, you know two on one on the back side, and there's Leo and B in the corner, and as a defender, you just have to take your pick between the two.

I was able to just drive in, look her off, and obviously B -- a corner three for B is a layup as well. She shoots that at a really high clip and really well. So I kind of baited Alanna Smith into thinking I was going to pass it high. And B hit a huge shot for us that changed the momentum of the game and continued to extended the lead. I think they called a time-out a little bit after that. It was huge for us.

We believe in her. She knows that. This was a huge game. She played a huge role in the game ending up the way that it did and she's going to continue to do it for these next two games, we know that.

Q. In today's win, Minnesota finding ways to go on runs, how much more difficult is it to ebb that tide on the road in Minnesota and what are you guys planning to do to combat the difficulty of stopping runs on the road?

SANDY BRONDELLO: Look, I think we've been in these moments before on opposing court when it gets really, really loud, and it's more about making sure we stay true to who we are. We kind of know how we want to play. We know that they are going to make runs. We know the crowd is going to get into it.

But we've just got to continue to play -- stay true to who the New York Liberty are, and if we can do that, we can overcome any obstacle.

Q. A bit to that point, but does all the things that one does as a coach and when the play goes on and you're standing there and watching it and hoping it all goes right in a game like this, or any such close game, when do you know in your own mind that they have got this?

SANDY BRONDELLO: We have had great starts in both games, but I thought our -- how much they were talking in the huddle, you know, it wasn't just me talking all the time. They're going "We have got to rebound. The possession game."

I just thought, when we play like that, with the pace that we went out and just the effort and the energy we put into the defensive side with the scramble and the help, good things happen. It was just more about staying persistent.

We kept Minnesota to 27 points in that second half, that's pretty good. And some of our scramble defense, we were down 1-0. So you know, we should be playing like that. And now we can tidy up some things and they can tidy up some things as well, too. We'll look forward to playing another tough game on Wednesday.

Q. Coach addressed what you guys need to do on the road, but you guys and Minnesota have the best home records and you guys have the best road record. Can you talk about why you guys were such a good road team and how that can help in terms of going into Minnesota?

BREANNA STEWART: Yeah, I mean, I think we embrace it. We like it when it's loud. We like it when it's difficult. You know, as we did tonight when it's so loud that you can't hear, you know, just expecting that when we go to Minnesota, hopefully it's going to be an incredible atmosphere for both of those games.

But just continuing to stick together, and I think also, the biggest thing behind it is like not getting too high or too low, you know. Things are going to seem bigger than what they are because they are playing at home, and I'm sure Minnesota said the same thing when they are playing here.

But yeah, we like to go on the road.

Q. Big weekend for Oregon, obviously, your Ducks had a big win last night against that team from Ohio somewhere up there. Today you laced up the green and yellow Sabrina 2s. Can you talk about the pair you wore today. And how that winning spirit carried over into today's game?

SABRINA IONESCU: Yeah, obviously I stayed up watching the game, not too late (laughter).

But it was a nail-biter. But I mean, after they won the way that they did, today I was like, yeah, I'm going to wear my Oregon shoes because I wanted to embody that tough, gritty win that they pulled off, which is probably one of the biggest wins that our program has had there.

A lot of things didn't go right for them and they just continued to fight and stay together and grind out a really big win. I was like, all right, I want to bring that energy with me today on the court and kind of do the same thing.

So I think I'm going to wear the same shoes again on Wednesday.

SANDY BRONDELLO: Lucky shoes.