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Michael Voepel
New York Liberty With another victory, he went out of court at the Barclay Center. His 19-point win formed him a ninth team in WNBA history and started season 9–0 and made the best start of New York in the history of the franchise.
It was June 10, and it seemed that WNBA Champion Liberty could be better than last year, when they broke to win the first title of franchise.
But three months later, New York had to hit the road for the first round of the WNBA playoffs. Only the top four seeds get the benefit of home-court in the best-three early series, and Liberty finished fifth. New York, which went 8-7 to shut down the regular season, trails Minnesota Links And Las vegas ekka In Betting obstacles In ESPN Bet to win 2025 championships.
Repeat is always difficult: Houston Comlate won the first four league titles, only 2001-2002 Los angeles sparks And 2022-2023 Las Vegas Aces has won the back-to-back WNBA Crown.
Nevertheless, getting out of top-four seeds and finishing 27–17 is far from the expectation of freedom. What went wrong during the regular season, and have they fixed it on time for playoffs?
“It’s up and down, the player in and out, the roster changes,” Liberty forward Breena stewart Said. “Everything that you can imagine, it’s up to this team. But we don’t want our run to be easy, we want it to really, really worth it.
“So, I think we are working hard and look ready every day that we are ready for whatever we are going to challenge, and whatever we are going with us.”
Injuries have been a story for every WNBA team this season. But for Liberty, three major starts suffered injuries – Post Players Stewart (Knees) and Zoncl Jones (Ankle) and guards Sabarina Eonacu (Neck, toe) – In June and continues through September.
Jones and Stewart missed each 13 games, and INESCU sat out of six. They are the stars of the team that works at the highest level, its origin. Stewart (18.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG) and Jones (13.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG) are previous MVPs; INESCU (18.2 PPG, 5.7 APG, 4.9 RPG) has been nominated three times in the All-WNBA second team.
In this season, all three sports, Liberty was 12–2, which included a 91–86 victory in the conclusion of its regular session in Chicago on Thursday. When all three were in court, freedom was in its best form. But this season has reduced considerably compared to the previous this season.
In 2024, Stewart, Jones and Ioncu played 805 minutes together and a plus -12 net rating per 100 property. This season, their net rating was higher at Plus -21, but they played only 234 minutes together.
In the court, with any two of them, New York’s net rating was Plus -6 this year. With only one, Liberty was excluded by 13 points in 464 minutes. Last year, he played 235 minutes with only one stars in the court, yet in those minutes there were still plus -18.
The depth of Liberty this year has also been affected by various factors: other injuries, the players were missing the season for the Eurobacket Competition, and the absence of the players who did not come back from last year.
Guard/forward Baneija lani-haemilton And point guard Kurtney wandershalootFor example, there were Liberty starters in 2024. Lane-Hamilton missed this season after suffering from a knee injury while playing in the new 3-on-3 league in March. Wandershalut returned to Chicago during the free agency.
and further Kayla ThorntonA major reserve for Liberty in 2023 and 2024 was selected by the Golden State in the expansion draft. He was a major scorer and rebounder of Vulciris before the season-ending knee injury just after the all-star game.
But there were also additions. Liberty traded for point guard Natasha cloudAnd guard Marine JohannesWho last played for New York in 2023, returned. She was the only player to appear in all 44 matches for New York this season.
And on 3 August, Liberty brought to veteran Emma misemanThe Belgian standout was last played in WNBA in 2022. He took an average of 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17 matches with New York.
Miseman’s joint gave Liberty to three players, named WNBA Final MVP; He did so with Washington in 2019, Stewart did this with Seattle in 2018 and 2020, and Jones won the honor last year.
So, whether Liberty reduced in a regular season, or did they struggle due to bad time with injuries, constantly lack of harmony, and the best efforts of each team were received as defending champions?
Coach Sandy Brondelo said, “Yes, we had to face a lot of adversity.” “But there are many games where we think we could play better.”
Stewart tried to win the WNBA title when she was with Seattle. But in 2019, he suffered an injury to Akilis while playing abroad in Offsen. Then, as part of the title defense of the Storm in 2021, they were excluded by Phoenix at home under the previous playoff system in a single-transportation second round game.
If Liberty was one-and-one in Phoenix this year, the fans of New York would have been very worried. But in a three-game chain where Liberty is guaranteed a domestic game-and their 12-Khiladi rosters are finally returned in action-Tim is more confident about Postsen.
“Have we got better? I think we have,” Bondelo said pointing to victory in the last three regular-season games. “We have our whole group together, and we know what works and we need to do to move forward.”
Steward believes that Liberty struggles showed the team’s flexibility and the ability to solve problems in difficult times this season.
Stewart said, “You should have a certain mental cruelty and awareness what is happening and how to fight.” “We are happy that we all have 12 [players] Back. Playoffs are a roller-coaster-physically, physically. Experience is the thing you come back. ,
Kevin Pelton of ESPN contributed to this story.
