Liberty rout Aces to put exclamation point on WNBA championship celebration
A flicker of seafoam-green lights washed over the Barclays Center crowd Saturday afternoon as the Liberty gathered over at their bench well before tip-off.
The final coronation of the 2024 WNBA champions was set to begin.
Team owner Clara Wu Tsai was already wearing a diamond-studded championship ring the size of a silver dollar when she took the microphone at center court.
When she and her husband, Joe, bought the Liberty in 2019, she envisioned living a moment like this.
3 Natasha Cloud and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty celebrate during their home opener against the Las Vegas Aces at Barclays Center on May 17, 2025.
Michelle Farsi/New York Post
'This was our first championship,' Tsai told the crowd, 'but it will not be our last.'
Saturday was the first step toward doing just that.
The Las Vegas Aces — who had to hear the cheers from the ring ceremony from the visitors' locker room — were looking to play spoiler to New York's celebratory day.
Instead, the Liberty — 24 hours after the Knicks clinched their first Eastern Conference Finals berth in 25 years — sent the resounding message that New York basketball is back with a 92-78 win.
3 Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty shows off her championship ring.
Michelle Farsi/New York Post
Saturday's season opener was a dog fight.
The Liberty held a comfortable 14-point lead at halftime but saw it dissolve to two by the fourth quarter.
But every time the Aces battled their way back into the game, the Liberty found a way to respond.
Whether that be the sequence when Natasha Cloud fed Jonquel Jones for a layup late in the third quarter.
Or when Cloud ran the length of the floor after tumbling out of bounds with Jewell Loyd only to finish with a layup through contact and make it a three-point play.
3 The New York Liberty's championship banner ceremony during their home opener against the Las Vegas Aces at Barclays Center.
Michelle Farsi/New York Post
The Aces' last bit of hope was swatted away when Jones blocked A'ja Wilson late in the fourth quarter.
Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Cloud, in her official Liberty debut, had 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
And Jones added 17 points and six assists.
It was a strong start for the Liberty, who are on the road for the next two games.
They play at Chicago on Thursday and at Indiana next Saturday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
How Tyrese Haliburton's dad reacted to son's unreal game-winner in Pacers' Game 1 comeback
Tyrese Haliburton's dad had a front-row seat to his son's game-winning shot Thursday as the Pacers opened the 2025 NBA Finals with a thrilling comeback victory. Still fresh off the fan version of a suspension, John Haliburton — who has since returned to arenas following an on-court confrontation with Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier in the playoffs — appeared stunned at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, where Tyrese hit a jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining to give Indiana its first lead in the 111-110 victory against the Thunder. It was nothing but a rather straight face and certainly a lot of internal pride — which became external after the game. Advertisement 5 Tyrese Haliburton rises up for the winning shot in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 5 Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton's father, John, after his son nailed the game-winning shot against the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. ESPN The next time John was spotted was postgame, when he released everything that he was surely feeling in the moment of his son's fourth game-winner of the 2025 playoffs. Advertisement 5 John Haliburton celebrates with his son, Tyrese, after the Game 1 win. NBA on ESPN/X 'Yes sir! Yes sir!' he repeatedly yelled when he ran into his son in the arena hallways after the massive Game 1 win. John gave his son a big hug as he broke down in the emotional scene. Advertisement It's a different look than a month ago when John stormed the court following Indiana's elimination of the Bucks in the first round and stood toe to toe with Antetokounmpo — flexing a towel with his son's face on it and directing plenty of taunts his way. John missed several games before the Pacers reversed course on the punishment in late May, permitting him to return to Gaibridge Fieldhouse during Indiana's Eastern Conference Finals triumph over the Knicks. 5 John Haliburton and Giannis Antetokounmpo had a fiery exchange during the 2025 NBA playoffs. X Emotions clearly got the best of John in that moment, but with the run his son and the Pacers are on, who could blame him? He's had a lot to celebrate. Advertisement Indiana came into the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the East, with expectations for its first-round matchup with Milwaukee to be a dogfight. If the Pacers were to get past there, many expected them to fizzle out in the second round against the top-seeded Cavaliers. But Indiana eliminated both teams in just five games apiece. 5 Tyrese Haliburton celebrated the Pacers' NBA Finals berth with his dad. AP The Pacers then got by the Knicks in six games and are now just three wins away from a championship over Oklahoma City. Haliburton's shot to beat the Thunder in Game 1 was his fourth game-winner of the playoff run — his dad's reaction to the shot in the moment says that maybe the Haliburtons are simply used to the clutch shots by now.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Shaquille O'Neal Shares Harsh Criticism for Thunder After NBA Finals Loss
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The NBA Finals is officially underway and Game 1 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers did not disappoint. While the Thunder were certainly disappointed, fans got to witness a shocking comeback from the Pacers and pure basketball entertainment. Despite leading the game by a score of 108-99 with 2:52 remaining in the game, Oklahoma City could not put Indiana away. Instead, the Thunder ended up losing by a final score of 111-110 on another game-winner from Tyrese Haliburton. Just like the Pacers have done before in this playoff run, they were able to steal a game that they had no business winning. That has worked out well for them this postseason. Shaquille O'Neal speaks during Pepsi Stronger Together and CTG Foundation Atlanta Law Enforcement Press Conference on April 07, 2021 in McDonough, Georgia. Shaquille O'Neal speaks during Pepsi Stronger Together and CTG Foundation Atlanta Law Enforcement Press Conference on April 07, 2021 in McDonough, Georgia. Photo byfor Pepsi Stronger Together Following blowing Game 1, the Thunder sparked a harsh reaction from NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. He spoke out with major criticism about Oklahoma City. Read more: Jon Gruden Makes Shocking Pick in Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals "It's not just another game. I understand it's your first time here," O'Neal said. "There may be another chance you don't get back. This is not another game. This is the NBA Finals. This is the championship run. You gotta have that killer. When you get a team down, you gotta put your foot on their throat." O'Neal could not be more accurate with his take on the situation. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks allowed Indiana to make a massive comeback in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden. They were unable to recover from blowing that win. In the loss, the Thunder saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put together a strong performance. He scored 38 points on 14-for-30 shooting. Jalen Williams, on the other hand, scored just 17 points on 6-for-19 shooting, while Chet Holmgren scored six points on 2-for-9 shooting. On the other side of the court, Pascal Siakam led the way for Indiana with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Haliburton chipped in 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while Obi Toppin came off the bench for 17. Read more: Clippers Seen as Sleeper Team to Land Former NBA MVP: Report Gilgeous-Alexander spoke out after the loss with blunt honesty. "We had control of the game for the most part," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Now, it's a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league — the hard way." Game 2 will be played on Sunday evening at 8 p.m. ET. After blowing Game 1, the Thunder need to rebound strong. As for the Pacers, they'll look to steal both games on the road, which would be a major stunner. For more on Pacers, Thunder, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
What do tickets cost to see Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals games in Indiana?
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. We don't believe it either. After being down for 47:59 of 48 minutes of the first game of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton hit a shocking game winner with 0.3 seconds on the clock to give the Indiana Pacers a 1-0 series lead over the heavily-favored Oklahoma City Thunder. 'We've just had to figure out how to win in so many different ways all year, past two years,' Haliburton told ESPN after the game. 'So many weird, different ways. Really proud of this group. We're a resilient group. 'We keep believing. We keep believing and we stay together. It ain't over until it's over.' And, just like that, the tough as nails underdogs have upset the natural flow of what was projected to be a cakewalk of a series for NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC. This is familiar territory for Indiana; in the Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton sunk an improbable last-second jumper to send game 1 against the Knicks into overtime. New York never recovered from that momentum-shifting shot and ended up losing in six. The Finals picks back up with game 2 at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center on Sunday, June 8. Game 3 goes down in Indiana on Wednesday, June 11. If you want to be there, tickets are available for all three hypothetical games at Indiana's Gainbridge Fieldhouse. At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for game 3, 4 or 6 was $941 including fees on Vivid Seats. While that might sound pricey (it is!), keep in mind these are the first Finals games in the Hoosier State since 2000. The stakes and level of excitement surrounding the surprising team couldn't be higher. For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about Indiana Pacers NBA Finals home games at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse below. All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation. Indiana Pacers NBA Finals home game tickets All Pacers playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available at Indiana's Gainbridge Fieldhouse can be found below. Indiana Pacers home game dates Ticket prices start at Game 3 Wednesday, June 11 at 8:30 p.m. $966 (fees included) Game 4 Friday, June 13 at 8:30 p.m. $1,040 (fees included) Game 6 Thursday, June 19 at 8:30 p.m. $941 (fees included) (Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn't noted, will include additional fees at checkout.) Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event. Still curious about Vivid Seats? You can find an article from their team about why the company is legit here. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals home game tickets A complete calendar including all announced Thunder home game dates (local time) at the Paycom Center can be found here: Oklahoma City Thunder home game dates Game Two Sunday, June 8 at 7 p.m. Game Five Monday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. Game Seven Sunday, June 22 at 7 p.m. How to watch the Thunder and Pacers on TV Fans hoping to catch SGA and Haliburton live on the tube can watch all NBA Finals games on ABC or stream on ESPN+. Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in. If you don't have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV. Huge 2025 concerts Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2024-25 NBA season? We've got you covered, hoops heads. Here are just five of our favorite artists on the road these next few months that you won't want to miss live. • NBA Youngboy • Tyler, The Creator • Wu-Tang Clan • Ice Cube • Wiz Khalifa Want to see who else is on the road? Check out our list of all the biggest concert tours in 2025 to find the show for you. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
