Liberty’s Tough Loss to Sparks

LOS ANGELES — The Liberty have no one to blame but themselves for their narrow 98-97 defeat against the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.

At one point, New York trailed by 17 points in the third quarter, seemingly growing a bit comfortable. As a result, they fought hard but ultimately lost on Nneka Ogwumike’s buzzer-beater from beyond the arc.

“We really need to learn how to play with a lead,” Sabrina Ionescu reflected. “I think we haven’t quite figured it out yet. We’ve often regained leads in games but then, you know, let them slip away. It’s clear we need to manage those moments better. When a team is struggling, they often come back fighting harder, and we need to match that intensity.”

It was Ogwumike and Ray Burrell who reignited the Sparks’ offense. The energy from the home crowd at Crypto.com Arena also surged as the Sparks began their comeback.

Erica Wheeler hit a crucial 3-pointer to tie the game with 5:31 left, electrifying the crowd.

From then on, the teams exchanged baskets in a tense finish.

In a pivotal decision, coach Chris DeMarco opted to start rookie Pauline Astier, who had been relatively quiet on offense throughout the game, instead of Sabrina Ionescu, who seemed a bit off her game.

Astier managed to score five of her 17 points in the last two minutes, proving important for New York.

With 33.3 seconds remaining and the Liberty up by two, Seattle forced a shot clock violation, adding pressure on the team.

Kelsey Plumb’s 3-pointer missed the mark, and although Brianna Stewart grabbed the rebound, she was fouled almost instantly.

Stewart made one free throw but missed the next, which gave Liberty a slim three-point lead.

Astier blocked Wheeler’s next attempt, but the Sparks regained possession. Stewart fouled Burrell, who then made his free throw for a one-point edge.

With just 8.6 seconds on the clock, Stewart hit two more free throws, giving Liberty a two-point advantage. Unfortunately, a miscommunication allowed Ogwumike to sink the decisive shot.

When asked about the team’s reaction to the Sparks’ comeback, Jonquel Jones expressed, “They really found their rhythm. The slow start got us a bit too relaxed, and then they picked it up—a bit too late for us to respond.”

“Even when the other team isn’t playing well at first, we need to keep our focus and stick to our plan better,” she added.

DeMarco had made significant changes that day.

Just two days after the Washington Mystics ended Liberty’s eight-game winning streak, he switched up the starting lineup by inserting Sato Sabally instead of Marin Johannes.

This felt like a move waiting to happen; Sabally, a three-time All-Star, was just starting to increase his minutes after dealing with a concussion this offseason.

He led all scorers at halftime with 11 points, finishing with 14 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, while Johannes added 10 points off the bench.

Ionescu didn’t score in the first half, yet New York still went into halftime with a 12-point lead.

The Liberty opened the third quarter strong, hitting 3 of their first 4 shots from beyond the arc, extending their lead.

But maintaining that lead proved challenging, and they ultimately fell short.

This second consecutive loss stings for the Liberty, especially since it wasn’t the start they envisioned for their fourth straight game on the West Coast.

“I’ll definitely go back and watch the film and learn from it to see how I can improve,” Ionescu said, reflecting on the tough outing.