Sometimes you just have to admire greatness regardless of the opposition, and Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon was not shy of tipping her hat to New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu following their win against Hammon's Aces.

Ionescu had her first significant performance coming back from injury, scoring a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds that helped the Liberty see out the Aces on the road 87-76.

After the game, Hammon credited Ionescu's performance, believing that she is finally back in form after being sidelined with a bad back.

"She's a world-class basketball player. Not surprised that she can put up a big game for you. She just came back to form, she's been out for a while, but nothing that she does surprises me with a basketball. So yeah, I think it is just her getting back in form." Hammon said in her postgame media availability.

Ionescu has dealt with foot and back issues throughout the season. Sunday was just her sixth game, where she managed to make the best of it.

"I'm just better and better every day," said Ionescu, the Liberty's No. 1 draft pick in 2020. "My body's feeling better, getting back into the rhythm of playing competitive basketball."

The Liberty really needed the added boost of Ionescu after two disappointing losses to teams below them in the standings.

They lost 86-83 to the Washington Mystics and a heartbreaking 98-97 to the Los Angeles Sparks in the 30th anniversary game of the WNBA, thanks to Nneka Ogwumike's buzzer-beating three-pointer.

"Moments like that can either make you or break you," Ionescu said about the losses. "It's a long season, so for us it was just understanding we've got to come together, not let that happen again, and continue to grow from it."

The Liberty will need to continue with this momentum against Paige Bueckers' Dallas Wings before the rematch with the Aces in the Commissioner's Cup final.

Will the Liberty Repeat this Performance in the Final? A'ja Wilson Speaks Up for the Aces

It will be a clash of the last two WNBA champions once again, as the Liberty and the Aces face each other on June 30 for the in-season tournament title.

With the Indiana Fever out, Wednesday will crown a new champion, as the Liberty will need to take care of A'ja Wilson just as they did on Tuesday.

The Aces star scored 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field and was 0-3 from the three-point line. Not the usual stat line for someone of her stature, and Wilson was sure of herself postgame that we won't be seeing much of this.

“It was just one of those nights,” Wilson said of her individual offensive performance. “I was just shooting some blanks and it sucks, it stinks, but at the same time, I think everybody in this room knows that there isn’t going to be too many of these."

Meanwhile, Hammon stated that the Aces will need to figure out a way to go past the Liberty's stingy defense. On the bright side, it was better to learn now than never ahead of the final.

So, do you think Wilson and the Aces will overcome the mighty Liberty next time around and lift the cup? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy