Liberty Ready to Rebound After World Cup Break

The FIBA Women’s World Cup pause didn’t offer the Liberty much time to regroup.

Given that they had more players in the tournament than any other WNBA team, it might be understandable if they came back feeling a bit off. But, well, that’s not something Sabrina Ionescu wants to entertain.

Currently, in the WNBA standings, just two games separate fourth place from eighth. The Liberty (24-16) find themselves in a three-way tie for sixth.

As they gear up to resume their season this Friday in Minnesota, they have only four matches left to secure a solid playoff spot. After the Lynx, the Liberty will head to Toronto for a game against the Tempo, and then it’s back home for two contests against the Atlanta Dream.

With this tight schedule, there’s absolutely no room for excuses or easing back into the rhythm.

Ionescu emphasized the need to shift focus away from past distractions. “We have to continue to ascend,” she stated following practice on Wednesday. “We can’t afford to treat these next four games as chances to make excuses.”

Last month, the Liberty felt they were really on a roll, winning seven out of their last ten games before the league took a break.

During the hiatus, some players took short trips, while others suited up for their national teams in the World Cup.

With five Liberty players participating in both the championship and third-place games just this past Sunday, it’s understandable that some might be feeling the effects of their exertions. Jet lag? Yeah, that’s a real thing.

But coach Chris DeMarco sees the upside. He believes that, having played in high-stakes games, many of his players are better prepared. “Every team is going through something similar right now. The fact that they were all engaged in those high-pressure situations could work in our favor,” he said. “And I think we’ve improved a lot in practice with those who stayed behind.”

Ionescu insists the Liberty can’t delay their readiness for the playoffs; the teams that hit the ground running will be in a better position for seeding.

“These four games will fly by, and we need to keep progressing toward being the best version of ourselves by the playoffs,” Ionescu remarked. “So, it’s about winning this road trip, asserting our strength, and then holding our ground at home before playoffs begin.”

This isn’t the first time the WNBA has paused midseason—it happened during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. But that break was in late July and early August, providing a month before the season resumed.

Back then, the Liberty finished strong, winning 11 out of their last 15 games and cruising through the playoffs to secure the franchise’s first WNBA Finals title.

This time around, the situation isn’t quite the same.

“It’s a totally different scenario,” Ionescu commented. “With such a brief pause, it’s hard for players to find their groove again.”

“They might come back feeling out of sync, or fatigued. Depending on their roles with their respective national teams, they could also be adjusting back to a different rhythm. There are just a lot of factors at play.”