PORTLAND, Ore. — The Liberty capped off a stretch of playing four games in a week Thursday night with a comfortable 100-82 win against the Portland Fire.
New York (3-1) didn’t have a great first half. But a third-quarter attack, led by Breanna Stewart, allowed the Liberty to put the game away for good.
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“We’re trying to put together 40-minute games,” coach Chris DeMarco said after the win. “We didn’t have the best first half. I think in the first quarter we had five turnovers. We finished with (12), so we tightened up in the second quarter and then it carried over to the third. And I thought Stewie was phenomenal, (Jonquel Jones) brought a ton of energy as well, so it was good to have that kind of second half.”
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A troubling yet familiar trend had started to emerge in the Liberty’s first three games. Similar to a year ago, the Liberty had been struggling in third quarters.
Stewart said the team had to nip it in the bud — and it started with her.
“When we have the lead, knowing that the other team is going to come out and try to punch first, that’s on me,” Stewart said after Tuesday’s stunning loss. “And I’ll get the rest of the group really ready to go because … we’ve struggled with this in the past and we don’t want to have that continue.”
Stewart made good on her promise Thursday. She talked to the team at halftime and emphasized the importance of starting the third aggressively. She then led by example.
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Stewart scored 11 of her team-high 22 points in the first 10 minutes after halftime. Rookie Pauline Astier joined the onslaught, scoring seven of her 20 points in that frame, as she continues an impressive start to her WNBA career.
The Liberty outscored the Fire 31-16 in that quarter, entered the fourth leading by 17 and held on to the end.
Breanna Stewart attempts a shot during the Liberty’s 100-82 win over the Fire on May 14, 2026 in Portland, Ore. NBAE via Getty Images
New York unsurprisingly got its lick back after being on the losing end of the Fire’s first win in franchise history.
Fire coach Alex Samara expected this. Pregame, he predicted the Liberty would come out and play with desperation.
That’s not exactly what happened — at least early. The Liberty were all out of sorts to start.
Jonquel Jones and Pauline Astier celebrate after the Liberty won on May 14. Imagn Images
Ill-advised turnovers. Hesitation on offense. Missed shots. Shoddy defense.
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New York scored just 14 points in the first quarter — its lowest output to start a game this season — and trailed by six.
The start of the second quarter wasn’t much better than the first. The Fire pulled ahead by as many as nine points.
Then New York started to play its way back into the game. The Liberty took better care of the ball. Shots started falling. After going 2-for-9 from deep in the first quarter, the Liberty shot 6-for-14 from distance in the second quarter and led 39-37 at halftime.
The biggest difference from the first quarter to the second?
“I think just probably executing the game plan,” Jones told The Post. “(The Fire) also came out with more energy than us, too, to start the game and then I think we had turnovers, too, to start. That was the main thing, too — just control the turnovers so that we’ll be able to actually be able to have the ball and not give them advantages offensively.”
Pauline Astier looks to move the ball during the Liberty’s May 14 win. Imagn Images
The Liberty ran away in the third and never looked back.
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Thirty-two of the Liberty’s 34 made field goals were assisted. Marine Johannes contributed a career-high 11 dimes.
Jones had six points, nine rebounds and three assists.
Alex Fowler, whom the Liberty signed Thursday morning to a developmental contract, scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting off the bench.
After playing every other night to start the season, the Liberty will have a week off to regroup. There’s hope that Ionescu (left foot) and Satou Sabally (cyst) may return when their schedule resumes May 21 against the Golden State Valkyries.
The Liberty also are expected to have more reinforcements on the horizon with Leonie Fiebich and Raquel Carrera possibly one win away from capturing the Spanish League title.
