MONTREAL

Chris DeMarco, the new Liberty coach, has a history with the Warriors during their successful “strength in numbers” phase.

Yet, he also observed how much Golden State leaned on Stephen Curry, expecting him to be their sole rescuer.

The Liberty faces a similar situation this season.

There’s been a lot of talk about the depth of the Liberty roster as the season began.

General manager Jonathan Kolb has seemingly put together one of the most gifted teams in the league.

However, the Liberty seems to be following a familiar pattern, with Brianna Stewart often cast as the leading star.

Far too frequently, the illustrious lineup relies heavily on Stewart to pull them through.

New York looks to their veteran superstar to wear the cape and guide them to victory.

She’s viewed as their beacon of hope, but she can’t shoulder the entire burden of saving the season and contending for the championship.

In a recent loss to the Minnesota Lynx, Stewart played an exhausting 37 minutes.

The following day, after crossing into Canada, she logged a team-high of 34 minutes again.

DeMarco was in pursuit of victories as the Liberty scrambled back from a double-digit deficit in the second half.

But, unfortunately, the outcome was still disappointing, with the Liberty falling 93-91 to the Toronto Tempo during the WNBA’s inaugural Canadian franchise celebration.

Now, New York’s record stands at 13-11, with seven losses in their last ten outings.

They have three games scheduled before the All-Star break, facing Dallas on Thursday, Indiana on Saturday, and the Sky at home on July 22.

Though Stewart is an eight-time All-Star, she definitely needs a break soon.

Concerns have been raised about the weight of the workload she’s carrying this season and whether it’s sustainable in the long run.

So far, she has participated in all but one of the Liberty’s 24 games this year.

The only match she sat out was a loss to New York on June 25 in Seattle.

Stewart, now in her tenth season, ranks seventh in the league for total minutes played with 758.

She averages 33 minutes per game, which is the highest since her MVP year in 2023.

Her usage rate stands at 27.6%, tying for the third-highest in her career since 2017.

This uptick is primarily a necessity.

Sabrina Ionescu missed the season’s opener due to injury, and while she has returned, it’s only recently that she has been impactful in the Liberty’s recent matchups.

Sato Sabally has faced various issues and is currently in concussion protocol, while Leoni Fievich is dealing with a sore foot.

The absence of these players has placed an extra load on Stewart to hold things together.

Despite the pressure, Stewart continues to shine.

She overcame a rough start in the latest game, on a night when she made just 2-of-11 field goals and only scored four points by halftime.

But, she bounced back in the second half, scoring 22 points and making key defensive plays.

Stewart ranks sixth in the league in scoring with an average of 20.4 points per game, along with 8.4 rebounds and 29 blocks.

However, the late start for the Liberty has forced the driven Stewart to push herself harder.

The long season is already past its halfway mark.

A FIBA World Cup break is set for September, though it won’t be much of a break as half of the Liberty team will be participating.

Stewart remains crucial for the team’s success.

But, at what cost to her well-being?