Liberty's Reunion Tour Starts With Win Over Mystics
BROOKLYN—Finally granted a clean bill of health, the New York Liberty looked alive with their regular five gracing the starting lineup at Barclays Center.
The quintessential quintet of Natasha Cloud, Leonie Fiebich, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Breanna Stewart finally heard their names called during the pregame pump-up on Atlantic Avenue again as the Liberty took a 75-66 victory from the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.
Ionescu dished out eight assists after returning from a four-game absence while Jones posted a double-double at 12 points and 11 boards in New York's final home game of the regular season and its penultimate game of the same stretch. Emma Meesseman had 19 points off the bench to lead all participants, the second-best scoring output from a New York reserve this season.
Though New York (26-17) is locked into the fifth seed on the WNBA bracket, unable to rise or fall, it still had plenty to play for as it engaged in a Tuesday tilt with the eliminated Mystics. The regular starting lineup was finally fully back together after an extended, medically-induced departure while the injury report was left blank for the first time since the third game of the season back on May 23.
Early cohesion was quite apparent, as the Liberty cracked down defensively to let up only 12 points (with starters shooting only 4-of-11) while losing just one turnover in creating a lead that proved permanent. They allowed only 14 more in the second while extending the lead to double-figures.
Things began to go a bit haywire in the third, as turnovers began to creep back in while Washington scored 10 of the first 12 points of the period to narrow the gap to just seven. Reinforcements in the forms of Meesseman and Kennedy Burke proved vital for New York as they headlined an eight-woman set that also featured Rebekah Gardner.
A perfect output from Meesseman (2-of-2 from the field, 4-of-4 from the free throw line) in the third allowed the Liberty to re-establish its lead, uniting with Jones for 16 of the 20 period points they put up. It was mostly smooth sailing from there, with one last special moment saved for the final stages: Nyara Sabally, last year's Finals heroine, took the floor for the first time since July 16, earning a rowdy applause after missing significant time with a knee injury.
Thus ends for Washington (16-28), which will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Despite dropping the four-game season set to the Liberty, proof of the Mystics' hopeful future was on prominent display on Tuesday night.
Rookies/All-Stars Sonia Citron (16) and Kiki Iriafen (13) led the way with a united 29 points while 2022 third overall choice Shakira Austin added 13 more. Washington, fresh off its first year under head coach Sydney Johnson, will also welcome back the most recent sixth overall pick Georgia Amoore, who her entire rookie tour with a torn ACL.
The Liberty close out their regular season on Thursday night, granted one last de facto playoff prep scrimmage against the Chicago Sky on the road (8 p.m. ET, My9).
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.