The post Liberty’s Breanna Stewart having MRI on injured knee after Game 1 win appeared first on ClutchPoints.
New York Liberty fans hoping for something definitive on Breanna Stewart’s injury status after their Game 1 win over the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Playoffs on Sunday will be disappointed.
Advertisement
Stewart is undergoing an MRI and “additional testing” on the left knee that she hurt against Phoenix in overtime, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne first reported. Her status for Game 2 is still uncertain.
The former MVP sustained the injury on a layup attempt in front of the Mercury’s Satou Sabally and DeWanna Bonner. Though she made the shot, she came down in visible pain, grabbing at her left knee. Stewart stayed in the game and missed the and-1 free throw before asking coach Sandy Brondello to remove her from the contest.
She did not return and the Liberty held on to win, 76-69.
Brondello did not have an update on Stewart’s status immediately after the game, telling the media, “We’re just hoping that she will be OK.”
Advertisement
Unfortunately for the Liberty, this is nothing new for them. Injuries have plagued the team all season long, with nearly every rotation player missing time at some point. Stewart herself missed almost a month of play from late July to late August with an injury to her other knee.
As Sabrina Ionescu said after Game 1, New York knew how to respond to Stewart’s injury.
“We looked around and realized we kind of have been in that position before,” she said. “Understanding how important overtime is and knowing we had another gear to get to. I’m proud of the way we stuck together, we weathered the runs they went on, and ultimately found a way to win.”
The series now shifts to Brooklyn where the Liberty can advance to the semifinals for the third straight season if they are victorious. If not, the two teams will head back to Phoenix for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday.
Related: Bold predictions for WNBA playoff semifinals
Related: The Liberty player who must step up vs. Mercury after Breanna Stewart injury
