NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu got a night off after playing her first game of the season a day earlier and the New York Liberty missed her.
Without their star guard, the Liberty had 19 turnovers in an 81-74 loss to the Portland Fire on Monday night.
Ionescu made her season debut Sunday against Dallas and played 30 minutes after missing the team’s first five games while recovering from a foot injury she suffered in the preseason. Ionescu had 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds, but didn’t score after hitting a deep 3-pointer midway through the second quarter.
She said after Sunday’s game, which New York also lost, that she felt fine.
Ionescu was listed as questionable on the injury report earlier in the day before being ruled out about 60 minutes before tip.
She wasn’t the only player New York ended up missing. Four minutes into the game Satou Sabally picked up her second foul and didn’t return. She went back to the locker room to start the second quarter for what the team said was an illness. She didn’t return.
New York was also without Betnijah Laney-Hamilton for the third straight game with what the team described as personal reasons. She last played against Portland on May 14 when the the Liberty were on the west coast. She was participating in practice on Saturday in the portion that was open for media.
The Liberty were also missing wing Leonie Fiebich, who arrived to the team late after winning a championship in the Spanish League. She was activated to New York’s roster earlier Monday, but coach Chris DeMarco said that she’s still getting her legs back after the flight from Europe.
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