More work to be done. The New York Liberty took on the Minnesota Lynx at Barclays Center as those two rivals re-acquainted themselves with each other. The Liberty started strong, but a string of turnovers and incredibly timed Minnesota buckets doomed them to a tough home loss. The Liberty are at second place in the standings, but the Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream are breathing down their necks.
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The opponent tonight has been on a big run as of late. The Los Angeles Sparks have fought their way back into the playoff race after a slow start and have a great chance of capturing the eight seed. Their game went down to the wire against the Seattle Storm on Sunday night, and Dearica Hamby hit the game winner to give them the win. LA is now only one half game behind Seattle for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Where to follow the game
MY9 on TV. Liberty Live and Fox Local on streaming. League Pass for the outsiders. Late night affair so we’re getting started after 10 PM.
Injuries
No Breanna Stewart, Nyara Sabally, or Kennedy Burke, per usual. But late Monday, the team announced that Isabelle Harrison is in concussion protocol and did not travel with the team. The avalanche continues.
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On the other hands, it’s all clear for the Sparks.
The game
LA won the first meeting. Perhaps you remember the ending…
The Liberty have been running ragged for a while, and it’s not about to get any easier. This is the first leg of a three game road trip, and the first night of a back-to-back. They’re off to Las Vegas tomorrow night for a showdown with the Aces. No rest for the weary.
You see the vision with Rickea Jackson, but the results haven’t consistently been there as of yet. The shooting percentages are down compared to last year, but it can be attributed to an increase in three point attempts. She’s still just 24 years old and has made tangible gains from her rookie to sophomore season, so it’s all a part of the process.
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The guard matchup should be exciting. Kelsey Plum has been on a tear since the beginning of July as LA has fought their way up the standings. KP is averaging 18.9 points on .465/.405/.910 in a league leading 35.1 minutes per game across that stretch. Plum is hell on wheels and is seventh among guards in field goals attempted inside the restricted area. On the other side, Sabrina Ionescu is looking to bounce back from a shaky Sunday outing. Ionescu has been cold from the field as she’s shot just 30.5 percent from the field over the past three games. Ionescu had a ton of success in the first LA matchup as she tuned the Sparks up to the tune of 30/8/6/4 in 36 minutes. If she can do it again, the Liberty have a great chance of getting this road trip off to a good start.
Player to watch: Cameron Brink
Amazingly, this is the first time the Liberty will be seeing Brink. In 2024, Cam tore her ACL against the Connecticut Sun, one game before she was to face the Liberty. This year, she made her return the game after the Sparks played the Liberty. And now, she gets to face off against the champs. Brink has gotten back to business and has already blocked 13 shots in just six games. The potential is through the roof and as Edwin Garcia wrote over at Silver Screen and Roll:
I understand Brink is on a minutes restriction and recovering from an ACL injury, but can we give her more playing time? She has been sensational. Brink’s 3-point shot is developing very well, and her rim protection is unreal. She averaged 2.3 blocks this week, and fans should expect her to do that more often than not. At this point, the more Brink we can see, the better.
LA is knocking on the door of a playoff spot. Can they get Brink out there a little more while not putting too much on her plate? We’ll see.
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With Harrison now out, Jonquel Jones will probably cross the 30 minute plateau tonight. With this being the first leg of a road back-to-back, it’s not something Sandy Brondello wants to do, but she might have to. JJ has been solid since returning from the second ankle sprain. New York struggled getting the ball into the post against the Lynx, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on how they run their offense and get into their secondary actions.
From the Vault
It’s WNBA rivalry week, so let’s revisit the best rivalry of the 2010s…
More reading: Silver Screen and Roll, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, SB Nation, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Strickland, The Local W, New York Daily News, No Cap Space, New York Post, The Athletic, NY Liberty Fan TV, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next
