Only a handful of WNBA players can electrify an arena like Sabrina Ionescu. Barclays Center has rarely been this loud as it was on Tuesday when Ionescu shot a dagger to seal the New York Liberty’s victory over the Minnesota Lynx. The roar that followed her clutch three-pointer captured everything fans love about playoff basketball, even in the regular season.
How Did Sabrina Ionescu Channel Stephen Curry in the Clutch?
With barely 33 seconds left on the clock, New York clung to a four-point lead, desperately needing their first win over the Lynx in the 2024-25 season. The Liberty had struggled against Minnesota all year, making this moment even more crucial.
Right when the shot clock hit its final seconds, Ionescu beautifully controlled the ball around the midcourt area, calling a screen from Kennedy Burke. She flawlessly launched a rainbow from beyond the arc, but as she let the ball go, she crashed into Maria Kliundikova and fell to the ground. The ball dropped straight through the net, leading to the thunderous roar that shook Barclays Center.
SABRINA IONESCU. DAGGER. AND 1.pic.twitter.com/T2sOdCbB5D
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 20, 2025
The four-point play sealed the 85-75 victory, but Ionescu wasn’t done making her statement. During her post-game interview, she replicated Stephen Curry’s signature celebration, the “Night Night” gesture, as she walked away to celebrate with her teammates.
Sabrina Ionescu:
“Nigh night.” 🤣
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
pic.twitter.com/SZNIKYaLPT
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 20, 2025
Ionescu finished the night with 17 points on 5-of-18 shooting, but her impact went beyond the stat sheet. She dished out 11 assists and grabbed four rebounds, orchestrating the Liberty’s offense while making the game’s biggest shot when it mattered most.
Why Does Ionescu Keep Borrowing Curry’s Signature Move?
This wasn’t the first time Ionescu borrowed Curry’s signature celebration. Ionescu recently made the same gesture after winning the 2025 WNBA All-Star 3-point contest. That victory came almost a year after her memorable loss to Curry himself at the NBA’s 2024 3-point contest, where she proved she belonged on the same court as the greatest shooter in basketball history.
After claiming her second 3-point contest championship at this year’s All-Star weekend, she posted a picture of herself with her trophy. She captioned the image with Curry’s signature “Night Night” phrase while posing in the same sleeping gesture that has become synonymous with clutch moments.
View this post on Instagram
Ionescu dominated that 3-point contest, scoring 30 points in the final round to beat reigning champion Allisha Gray. She still holds the contest record of 37 points, which she set back in 2023 during her first championship.
The prize money told another story about Ionescu’s character. She won $62,575 for the contest victory, but kept none of it for herself. Half went to Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron, who was eliminated in the first round, while the other half was donated to the SI20 Charity Foundation.
Despite not receiving a penny from her winning amount, Ionescu certainly had a memorable night. Now, with Tuesday’s clutch performance against Minnesota, she’s proven once again why she’s earned the right to borrow Curry’s signature celebration.
