New York Liberty rally, put Chicago Sky on ropes in Game 1 stunner

CHICAGO — The New York Liberty moved into the driver's seat of their first-round series against the defending champion Chicago Sky with a 98-91 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday night.

The Liberty trailed by six points with three and a half minutes left but were sparked by an impressive assist from guard Marine Johannes that started a 13-0 run to close the game.

Johannes hit forward Natasha Howard with an improbable over-the-head, no-look pass as Howard broke free to the basket for an easy layup.

It was the kind of pass Howard learned to stay ready for, even if she wasn't expecting it, while playing with a WNBA legend on her previous team before joining the Liberty.

«It kind of reminds me of a Sue Bird pass,» Howard, who played with Seattle from 2019 to '20, said after the game. «So it brought flashbacks a little bit.»

Following Johannes' assist, the Liberty went 5-for-5 from the field to finish the game, securing the franchise's first playoff victory since Sept. 23, 2015.

Howard and Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu each had a game-high 22 points as New York set a franchise record for most points in a playoff game.

«We battled all game through ups and downs,» Ionescu said. «We were down pretty big there in the fourth and we just continued to chip away. I think it was more just this proud feeling of we came here and we did what we needed to do. And what nobody believed we could do.»

A loss puts the Sky on the brink of elimination in this three-game series after Chicago went scoreless over the final 3:32 Wednesday.

The Sky shot 0-for-8 from the field down the stretch, including 0-for-5 from 3, and missed a pair of free throws. They had their chances throughout the fourth quarter but went just 2-for-9 on wide-open looks,