New Yorkers have been decrying the sorry state of sports in this city.

But the Liberty want to remind everybody they play here, too — and they’re playing damn well, with the city’s best shot at a title. 

They showed that Friday night as Sabrina Ionescu scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Liberty to a 90-75 playoff-opening win over the Washington Mystics before a sellout crowd of 8,789 at Barclays Center. 

“We’re going to let our work do the talking,” Ionescu said. “We’ll be able to shut up those people on Twitter that have anything to say [about] what’s going on with New York sports. 

“We’ve been playing the best basketball that’s been played in New York City for a very long time. Whether people recognize it or not, they will in the next few weeks. I’m excited to see what they say then.” 

Ionescu took over by scoring 20 of her points in the second half. Her seven 3-pointers — six after intermission — were a Liberty playoff record. 

“Let me not get fined. But let’s say some of those 3s were for the refs … with all due respect,” said Ionescu, who spotted the Liberty a 1-0 lead in this best-of-3 series with a chance to advance Tuesday with a win in Game 2, also at Barclays Center. 

The discourse started on Twitter with the opinion that the Knicks were New York’s best team.

The Nets, Mets, Yankees, Jets and Giants have all had their own woes. 

But the Liberty have the WNBA’s second seed, Ionescu and Breanna Stewart (who shot an uncharacteristic 3-for-16 against constant traps and finished with 10 points) and legitimate title hopes. 

“We play professional sports in New York, right?” Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb asked rhetorically. “It was actually the first time I sent a tweet to someone that said read the comments. I saw this quote on Twitter where they were talking about the best teams in New York, and the Liberty weren’t listed. And everybody let them have it. That was cool.

“That was something where you’re seeing change.” 

They’ll need a few more like this. 

Against a Washington team that won the 2019 title, the Liberty fell behind 29-23 after a sorry defensive first quarter.

But they shored up their defense and rebounding in a 23-13 second quarter to take a 46-42 halftime lead.

Trailing 41-40 with 1:51 left in the half, the Liberty closed on a 6-1 run to go into the locker room with the lead after a layup by Betnijah Laney, who finished with 19 points and eight boards while picking up the slack for a struggling Stewart. 

“This is what we’re here for. This is what we do,” Laney said. “I know what’s at stake.” 

The Liberty padded their advantage to 60-50 with 3:27 left in the third quarter on free throws by Jonquel Jones, who had 20 points and 12 boards, and guarded Elena Delle Donne in the second half. 

Stewart then powered inside to make it 62-52. 

The lead was 71-57 early in the fourth quarter before the Mystics went on an 8-0 run to cut the Liberty’s edge to six. But consecutive Ionecscu 3-pointers essentially ended it. 

“It’s amazing that if you look at this this team, we have so much talent and everybody can step up at any moment,” Stewart said. “We know we have a long ways to go in this series and making sure we do whatever we can to get the win.” 

Another win will put in them in the second round. That alone might make them the best team in the city, but their goals are loftier. 

“The Liberty is the best team in New York,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “And it’s kind of a bit of ignorance really from them. We’ve got a special [vibe]. People that have been to these games will tell everybody how great it is.

“But it’s more about breaking down the barriers of the perception. 

“It’s kind of annoying. We’re used to it, but hopefully we continue to break down the barriers and the perception that goes around with that.”