The Liberty are close to getting revenge. They’ve put the Aces in the same position they were in during last year’s WNBA Finals: an 0-2 hole. A deficit that’s nearly impossible to come out of. A deficit that’ll require a miracle to come out of to continue the chase for an Aces three-peat. And history shows that the Liberty will celebrate a series victory shortly unless the Aces manage to become the first team in WNBA history to come back from an 0-2 deficit. To make revenge even sweeter, the Liberty have a chance to celebrate a series victory in their opponent’s arena — like the Aces did in 2023. “Being up 2-0 is great, but we haven’t won anything,” Sabrina Ionescu said after logging 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists. “I think everyone knows that. We did what we were supposed to do, which was to protect home court.” Tuesday’s 88-84 Game 2 victory over the Aces needed an all-out Liberty effort to stave off an A’ja Wilson-led takeover down the stretch. She started with a 13-foot pullup jumper, then used a nice step-through to get a layup against stout defense. But Jonquel Jones followed up with a trey to go up eight with eight minutes remaining. The 2024 MVP, who recorded a team-high 24 points, went on to score six more, helping her team get within one point on two different occasions. Then in the final minutes, chaos ensued: See-saw possessions, missed free throws and momentum-shifting baskets took place in a game that hung in the balance for the entire final period. With 1:31 remaining, Alysha Clark’s trey tied the game at 81. Ionescu responded with a jumper that put her team back up two. The two teams spent the next moments trading misfires, including a Wilson attempt at the rim that looked like the tying bucket with 21 seconds remaining. After a jump ball, Ionescu was called for a loose ball foul on Tiffany Hayes, who split the ensuing free throws. Ionescu then got fouled and split her own pair to go up two with 11.1 seconds left in regulation. “It was extremely intense,” Jones described the atmosphere. “As a team that is [playing for a championship] — both of us — we’re playing really hard. It’s playoff basketball. It’s physical, it’s exhausting and everybody’s trying to get that one possession that’ll take them over the hump and allow them to win the game.” Then, Aces head coach Becky Hammon called timeout and drew up a play that her team never got a chance to run due to an inbounds pass going out of bounds. Officials initially kept possession with the Aces, but overturned the call after review. It put the game out of reach, leading Ionescu, who scored seven of the Liberty’s final nine points, to knock down two clutch free throws. The fourth quarter felt like the final quarter of an elimination game. The Aces fought like their postseason lives depended on it. The same way the Liberty fought — but failed — to stay alive in Game 4 of the final round last year. The Libs came up on top this time, needed just one more win to return to the WNBA Finals. The Aces came into Game 2 throwing the first punch, an expected result with the Hammon’s team staring down an 0-2 deficit. Leading that charge was Gray, who scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the period. She was the likely candidate to jumpstart the Aces after her Game 1 dud: four points and assists in 27 minutes of action. Gray ended the period making a Liberty defender look silly on a crossover leading into a made jumper that helped her team to a 27-22 advantage. The Liberty, though, punched back, needing just three minutes to turn the tide — thanks to three quick Kayla Thornton baskets — and regain the lead at the 6:54 mark. Then on a fast break at 1:15 mark, Breanna Stewart, who finished with 15 points, eights assists and seven boards, pushed the ball and dished to Thornton who got an and-1 layup on Wilson. After taking a hit from Wilson, Thornton tumbled, flipped and laid on the hardwood before draining the free throw to go up three. The momentum flipped as well. The same Gray that put on a show in the first quarter recorded her second turnover in the quarter by losing the ball out of bounds. The Ionescu drained a 24-footer to extend the lead to six. And the Aces’ best player in Game 1, Plum, capped her awful 1-for-5 shooting period by losing the ball out of bounds, too. Barclays Center erupted with each mistake that helped the Liberty win the second, 24-13. Minutes before halftime, Thornton’s easy drive to the lane forced Hammon to call timeout. The head coach quickly ripped her players, visibly angry at the lack of resistance her team started with. Becky Hammon mad mad pic.twitter.com/pt6wKL54QV — Malcom Jones (@malcomjonesjr) October 2, 2024 The scolding didn’t work, and the Liberty entered halftime up, 46-40. Then came the third period that saw both teams trade buckets. But it was Courtney Vandersloot‘s turn to play the star role. Her stretch in the period showed her effectiveness, even in a reduced reserve role. Slooty said NAH pic.twitter.com/1WI3qShMYW — New York Liberty (@nyliberty) October 2, 2024 She took advantage of a lax defense, rolled to the basket, received a Jones pass and finished a wide-open layup. Two minutes later, she sized up Jackie Young on a fast break and blocked her layup attempt at the rim. The veteran put the icing on the cake with a trey that put her team up, 67-58. The Liberty eventually entered the final period up seven. And they escaped with home-court advantage intact. A sweep would be the sweetest revenge after getting their hearts ripped out on their home floor in 2023. They’ll go for it Friday night in Las Vegas.