The New York Liberty will have a massive Sabrina Ionescu boost ahead of their home matchup against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday. It has been a tough stretch for the sharpshooter with a toe injury she sustained last month, forcing her to miss the last four games for the Liberty. The team lost two of those matchups while playing without their star guard.
Sabrina Ionescu Gears Up for Mystics Showdown As Liberty Aims to Stay Healthy
Ionescu injured her toe during practice after the team’s win against the Connecticut Sun and was listed day-to-day. Her availability also sees New York inch toward full health ahead of the playoffs. Per WNBA reporter Myles Ehrlich, the guard will play against the Mystics.
“After a full practice today, Sabrina Ionescu says she’s good to return tomorrow against Washington. @Winsidr,” Ehrlich’s tweet read.
After a full practice today, Sabrina Ionescu says she’s good to return tomorrow against Washington. @Winsidr
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) September 8, 2025
Ionescu comes back on the heels of a strong outing against the Sun before her injury. She finished that evening with 11 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block in 34 minutes on the court.
Despite missing games, Ionescu is averaging 18.8 points per game, making it her career-best shooting numbers. She made the All-Star Game for the fourth consecutive season and won the three-point challenge for the second time in three seasons.
The defending champions were off to a promising start, but injuries hampered their consistency throughout the 2025 campaign. Key players, including Breanna Stewart, Nyara Sabally, and Jonquel Jones, were in and out of the lineup with various injuries that saw them miss multiple games each.
These injuries dented their 9-0 start, and while they did make the playoffs, the team has not played the level of basketball they displayed during their championship run in 2024. Tuesday’s game will mark the first time the team enters a contest fully healthy since May 22.
At the time of this writing, the Liberty is the fifth seed and has two games remaining before starting their postseason campaign. Stewart recently revealed that the team was already preparing for the playoffs.
“We’re making sure our schemes are strong. We have a few sets that we know each team plays and making sure that we’re well versed on what we’re going to do with them and what our coverage is going to be,” she said, according to the New York Post.
The Liberty hopes that Ionescu and the rest of the roster can stay healthy as they look to defend their title. The four-time WNBA All-Star will also look to find her rhythm against Washington.
