Minneapolis – A Season of Learning

There’s a lot to unpack from this season, perhaps more than usual.

New York (17-9) faced their third consecutive loss on Wednesday night, as the Lynx (22-5) bested the defending champions 100-93 in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals.

New York’s struggles were compounded by the absence of three key players: Brenna Stewart, Nyara Savy, and Kennedy Burke, all sidelined with injuries. Also missing was Natasha Cloud, who felt unwell after becoming sick on Tuesday. She did go through warm-ups though and opted to play alongside Sabrina Ionescu, Marine Johannes, Leonie Fevich, and Jonquel Jones.

The smaller lineup allowed the Liberty to shift to a faster pace. Johannes caught fire early, contributing eight of her 14 points in the first quarter.

While New York managed to chip away at Minnesota’s 15-point lead during the second half, they never quite caught up. The closest they got was in a tense two-minute stretch.

Major MVP contender Naphesa Collier led the charge for the Lynx with 30 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, all while New York utilized an eight-player rotation.

On the other side, Ionescu shone for New York with 31 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Isabel Harrison added a noteworthy 15 points off the bench.

Liberty’s coach, Sandy Brondello, reflected on the need for the team to address their recent struggles following a dismal first-half showing in Dallas.

“There have been a lot of discussions,” Brondello remarked prior to the game. “We had another meeting yesterday… We have to perform better, especially if we aim to contend for a championship, no matter who’s available.” The core of his message was pretty clear: improvement is essential.

Despite lacking several key players, New York fought hard. They were challenged more than they anticipated by a team that’s been struggling this season.

Even so, the Liberty seemed to rally late, though it fell short of inspiring confidence.

Wednesday’s game served as a reminder of just how tight the margins can be, especially when a team faces numerous challenges and absences.

Every squad experiences adversity during the season, but for the Liberty, this has been particularly tough.

Next up, New York’s road trip continues as they prepare to face Connecticut on Friday and Sunday.