The New York Liberty are finally getting their floor general back, but they’re not about to rush things. Sabrina Ionescu is set to play Sunday against the Washington Mystics after sitting out since late May with a back injury, and head coach Chris DeMarco has already laid out a cautious plan for her workload.
DeMarco confirmed before the game that Ionescu will be on a minutes restriction, according to The Athletic’s Annie Costabile. The Liberty are clearly prioritizing long-term health over short-term heroics, especially with the postseason and Commissioner’s Cup implications looming.
Ionescu has only appeared in one game this season — a 31-minute outing on May 24 against the Dallas Wings where she put up 11 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. That performance was solid, but the sample size is thin. The back issue has kept her out for weeks, and she also dealt with an ankle problem during the preseason that lingered into the regular season.
Sunday’s matchup at Barclays Center tips off at 3 p.m. ET, and it carries serious stakes. New York enters the game at 9-4 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Commissioner’s Cup play. A win would lock up a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup final, adding an extra layer of urgency to an already important afternoon.
Fortunately for the Liberty, the backcourt hasn’t missed a beat in Ionescu’s absence. Pauline Astier and Marine Johannes have both stepped up at point guard, giving DeMarco the flexibility to keep Ionescu’s minutes under control without compromising the team’s flow. If New York builds an early lead, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the coaching staff pull back even further on her playing time.
The team has not confirmed exactly how many minutes Ionescu will see, but the message is clear: slow and steady. The Liberty are thinking about June and July, not just a single Sunday in June.
For a franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 1997, every decision about a star player’s health feels amplified. Ionescu is the engine of this team, and New York needs her fresh for the stretch run. Sunday’s game will offer the first real glimpse of how that plan is shaping up.
Leave a Comment