Liberty Snap Nearly Two-Year Streak With Loss to Lynx
The New York Liberty found out the hard way that, sometimes, it can indeed be about your start.
New York fell behind the Minnesota Lynx early in a Minneapolis matinee on Saturday and, despite several ties, never overcame the opening deluge in an 84-67 defeat at Target Center.
Minnesota (3-1) built a first-half lead that summitted at 21 before New York mustered the aforementioned equalizers. The Liberty's recurring turnover issues, however, negated any further progress: the Lynxt forced six over the first half of the final period, contributing to a final total of 18.
"I thought Minnesota's defense was really good with their activity, their pressure, and physicality," Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said. "Some of the turnovers, I wasn't quite sure (why) we were trying to pass the ball in there. That just gave momentum to the other team. They got easy baskets, got some open threes. We just have to have a little more discipline. If something doesn't work, we have to know what the actions, and to be better than that. Eighteen turnovers is way too much. But the 25 points off of it, that made it hard for us to stay in the game."
Four different Minnesota reps reached double-figures with Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith pacing them with 15 apiece. Collier also added a dozen rebounds (three of the offensive variety) for a double-double while New York's Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 20 in defeat.
Two dubious marks of history came to define Saturday's game for the Liberty (4-2): combined with Thursday's loss in Chicago, New York has now lost consecutive regular season games for the first time since August 2022 and Saturday was also the first time they allowed an opponent to sink more than a dozen three-pointers since the month prior to those defeats.
"(Chicago and Minnesota) are trying to build up our action and make it really tough for us," Stewart said. "(Jonquel Jones) is seeing multiple bodie whenever she's in the paint and they were really playing on a string together. I think, for whatever reason, in the last two games, as we've been scrambling out, there's been a moment of hesitation. When one person hesitates, everyone else kind of follows in suit."
The Liberty had the first lead of the game at 2-0 but that would be all they could muster beyond another two-point advantage at the midway mark. Minnesota closed the opening frame out on a 13-0 run in three-plus minutes and then scored the first seven of the second to build its largest advantage.
To its credit, New York inched back into the game with six immediate answers from Stewart as well as penetration from Courtney Vandersloot. Fiebich carried water for the Liberty's struggling outside game, which hit less than 17 percent beyond the rookie's 3-of-5 output.
"I think we were just trying to get downhill, get into the paint," Stewart said of the second period. "As a post player, it's tough when you have an opposing post playerrunning at you, especially with the ball, forcing us to make something happen. I think Sloot and I were just trying to light a spark and get things going. We cut it and then we didn't."
Despite driving momentum into the third, forging several more ties after narrowing the gap to four by halftime, the Liberty couldn't get their lead back and could only watch as Minnesota quickly turned a 55-all tie in another double-figure lead over the final minutes of the third. The Lynx ended the frame on three consecutive triples, including two for Kayla McBride.
New York did set one positive landmark, as Fiebich scored 11 of the Liberty's 14 bench points. Fiebich was the first New York freshman to reach double figures since Michaela Onyenwere in September 2021.
"For me, it's always fun to be on the floor, to be around my teammates," Fiebich said. "I love to cut, I love to shoot the ball, and they put me in a good spot today and it certainly helps that the shots go in. I will just continue to fill gaps, do whatever the team needs and play defense."
"It was great to see Leo come out and make some shots," Brondello added. "She's versatile. We think she's going to keep getting better and better and have a great WNBA career. She's a great shooter, she's a great defender, she moves well. She does all the little things well. But it was nice for her to see the ball go in. We just want her to be who she is and be confident in what she does well. She showed that tonight."
Another homestand awaits the Liberty next week, one that begins on Wednesday against the Phoenix Mercury (7 p.m. ET, CBSSN).
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks