New York Liberty coach Chris DeMarco was a picture of relief after they beat the Minnesota Lynx, 87-71, in Game 2 of their first-round series at Barclays Center on Tuesday and advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs.
The Liberty were formidable on both ends of the floor, with the trio of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu doing most of the damage.
The Liberty made history by becoming the first No. 8 seed to topple the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. It was quite an achievement for them, especially with the hurdles they had to overcome in DeMarco's first season, including an early slump and multiple injuries.
DeMarco made a confident remark after eliminating the Lynx.
“This was a tough year for us, with injuries, with other stuff going on. I feel like we've been trending in the right direction for a while now,” said the 41-year-old coach, as quoted by WNBA reporter Myles Ehrlich.
Article Continues Below“We knew we had to be at our best in September and October, and I think we are right now.”
Stewart had 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks, while Jones tallied 21 points and 13 rebounds. Ionescu added 18 points, four rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.