Ionescu wasn’t alone in delighting the crowd at Barclays Center throughout New York’s 87-77 victory. In addition to Ionescu’s 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting, two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart finished with a team-high 34 points, five rebounds and four assists. Stewart’s frontcourt partner Jonquel Jones added 13 points and 12 boards.

The WNBA semifinals are here, and things got started with a bang: a blockbuster matchup between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces. Despite a number of turnovers, the Liberty held strong over the Aces to take the 87-77 Game 1 win.