Natasha Cloud Focused on Growth with Liberty
The New York Liberty dropped their final home game of the month, falling 89-81 to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night. While the loss marked just their second of the season, it came with added weight: Finals MVP Jonquel Jones re-injured her right ankle in the first half and did not return.
Even with Breanna Stewart pouring in a season high 35 points, her first 30-piece of the year - it still wasn't enough. Sabrina Ionescu, fresh off back-to-back 30-point games, was held to just 16. New York couldn't overcome the absence of two starters in Leonie Fiebich and Jonquel Jones - key anchors to the Liberty defense.
And yet, Natasha Cloud? Unshaken.
For Cloud, the game held no deeper meaning - it was just another game. Since being traded, she has moved past the separation with the Mercury and is fully focused on growing with the Liberty.
“Honestly, I’m not really here to talk about Phoenix,” Cloud said postgame. “I’m more here to talk about us and what we can fix moving forward. We see Phoenix in a week. This was just about Liberty basketball.”
It was Cloud's first meeting against the Mercury since being traded after just one season. She nearly notched a double-double with eight points and 10 assists, and more importantly, she knew her squad had her back. Cloud's poise couldn't be more valuable. She's been the vocal engine all season, and on a night where emotions could've boiled over, she kept things grounded.
“We got to get better on the defensive end, giving up too many rebounds, giving up too many paint points,” she said. “We just really need to hang our hat on the defensive end, and that just comes with some self-accountability.”
The Liberty won't have to wait long for a rematch. They now hit the road, starting in Seattle, with another shot at the Mercury waiting down the line. With health concerns looming and a test of depth ahead, Cloud's voice may be more important than ever.
Cloud made it clear: there’s no panic.
“There’s no panic. I want you all to hear that from me,” she told reporters. “It’s two losses. Let’s just keep things in perspective. We’re talking about low energy… this is the ebbs and flows of a season.”
Call it perspective. Call it veteran poise. Call it Cloud being Cloud. Either way, the message is clear: don't panic.
Brooklyn-based sports journalist and digital creator. Telling stories through hoops while covering the New York Liberty.