Spoon, Sky Scoop Win vs. Liberty
BROOKLYN-Teresa Weatherspoon had one last clutch performance in store for New York Liberty fans, but they weren't so appreciative this time around.
With her name illuminated in the Liberty's Ring of Honor display, the newly-minted head coach Weatherspoon guided her Chicago Sky group to a 90-81 victory in her first official matchup against her original WNBA employer on Thursday night.
Marina Mabrey led the way with 21 points for Chicago while Angel Reese and ex-New Yorker Michaela Onyenwerehd 13 each. The rookie phenom Reese fell one rebound short of a double-double in the win while Chennedy Carter had 12 points off the bench.
The Liberty (4-1) were thus subjected to their first loss of the 2024 season and fell one win short of both a perfect early homestand and their first 5-0 start since 2007. Breanna Stewart, who became the 21st New Yorker to score 1,000 points in a seafoam uniform, had an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in defeat while Sabrina Ionescu led the team with 19 points.
New York hits the road for a game before coming home for another homestand, as they'll face the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday afternoon (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks