Liberty Weekly: Libs Seek to Stay Perfect
The New York Liberty got June started on a high note, maintaining a perfect start to their first postseason championship defense:
Where the Liberty Stands
Team | Wins | Losses | Games Back |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Minnesota | 9 | 0 | |
2. LIBERTY | 8 | 0 | 1/2 |
3. Atlanta | 5 | 3 | 3 1/2 |
4. Phoenix | 6 | 4 | 3 1/2 |
5. Las Vegas | 4 | 3 | 4 |
6. Seattle | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Another week, another streak of perfection for the defending WNBA finalists, who stand at a perfect 17-0 in their united follow-ups.
As noted by ESPN analyst/Liberty legend Rebecca Lobo, both sides have yet to be truly tested, respectively ranking at the bottom of the early strength of schedule rankings. But the ability to do the little things extraordinarily well has allowed each side to create some distance from potential pursuers, such as the pleasant surprises coming out of Atlanta and Phoenix.
The Liberty and Lynx have all three of their regular season meetings crammed into August stretch but their perfect starts could set up an earlier meeting in the Commissioner's Cup final, as both teams have the early edge in the in-season tournament's pool play.
Last Week: 2-0
The Liberty got their Commissioner's Cup endeavors off to a sterling start with a dominant 100-52 victory over the rebuilding Connecticut Sun. New York set or tied several personal and national records in the win, such as creating the most one-sided triumph in franchise history (second-highest margin of victory in WNBA history) and tying the league record they set for most three-pointers in a single game 10 days prior.
A follow-up on Thursday in Washington was a bit more dramatic, as the Liberty had to overcome an early injury to Jonquel Jones and a challenge from a young yet cohesive Mystics group in the nation's capital. Propelled by a solid bench effort and a double-double for Breanna Stewart, New York withstood Washington to the tune of an 86-78 final, officially securing the longest winning streak to start a season in franchise history. The win proved historic for Sabrina Ionescu, who surpassed Crystal Robinson as the Liberty's all-time three-point queen with her 401st triple.
Player of the Week: Isabelle Harrison
(8.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 53.8 field goal percentage)
Once again, a supposed superteam is only as good as its depth. The Liberty faced some early challenges with that after losing Kayla Thornton and Courtney Vandersloot (not to mention lasting starter Betnijah Laney-Hamilton for the season) during the offseason but depth stars like Harrison and Kennedy Burke have done their part in the early going.
The veteran newcomer Harrison came up particularly big in the win over Washington, stepping in for Jones with a seven-point, five-rebound, two-steal performance. Time will tell if her services will still be required (the early indications is that the Liberty avoided major medical catastrophe when it comes to Jones) but Harrison is proving to be a reliable piece on relief after struggling to find a spot in the rotation in the early going.
Honorable Mentions
- Breanna Stewart: 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds
- Leonie Fiebich: 11.0 points, 62.5 three-point percentage, plus-28
- Natasha Cloud: 6.0 points, 6.0 assists, 2.0 steals, plus-27
They Said It
"We're hungry for more. We know what we did last year and how incredible and amazing that was, but we want to be consistently better than what we were last year and consistently great in everything that we do. So, you know, 8-0 is great but when we focus one game at a time, that's that's our priority, it's winning the next game and winning the next game, and if we're still undefeated, then that's great."-Breanna Stewart
This Week
Tuesday: Chicago
(8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
The Sky's first visit to Barclays Center takes on a bit of a somber tone, as former Liberty star Courtney Vandersloot won't take the floor after tearing her ACL in a Saturday loss to Indiana. There's no word on whether Vandersloot will still be feted with the presentation of her championship ring earned last season, the latter of two metropolitan tours that interrupted her Windy City tenure. Even with Vandersloot out, there will be no shortage of ex-Liberty representation, as the Sky (2-5) feature the talents of Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, and Michaela Onyenwere. The Liberty previously took a 99-74 decision from the Sky on May 22 in a game that them sink a WNBA-record 19 three-pointers (a title they have since tied).
Saturday: @ Indiana
(3 p.m. ET, ABC)
The Liberty return to the site of one of their toughest challenges to date, as New York avenged its former Manhattan brother with a narrow 90-88 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 24. It was a win partly defined by controversy as the Fever (4-4) took issue with same late calls, or lack thereof, as both teams overcame double-figure deficits to create an early contender for the WNBA's game of the year. That game was also the last anyone saw Caitlin Clark, who endured a quad injury in that game and has been out ever since. Indiana lost its first two after that but has since responded with convincing back-to-back wins over Washington and Chicago, earning the latter on Saturday without the services of Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and head coach Stephanie White.
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.