Liberty Faces Tough Competition from Dallas Wings
The Liberty struggled earlier this season when 2026 top draft pick Ajee Fad took advantage during a late-game push in a loss.
Paige Backers added to their challenges during that game.
This Tuesday, Fudd, along with the recently thriving Dallas Wings, will once again meet the Liberty in Brooklyn in what promises to be an intense matchup between two of the league’s strongest teams.
In their previous encounter on May 24, the Wings highlighted Liberty’s weaknesses in transition defense.
Fudd helped the Wings significantly, hitting several three-pointers during fast breaks. She managed 6 out of 9 from beyond the arc in the second half, ending the game with 24 points, which really turned the tide.
That game was a bit of a wake-up call for the Liberty.
Following that, they lost to the Portland Fire, ending an eight-game winning streak.
However, since then, they’ve bounced back with victories over the Atlanta Dream and the Las Vegas Aces on their travels. Just last week, the Wings defeated the A’s to clinch the Commissioner’s Cup, and then went on to beat the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Friday.
Sabrina Ionescu shared her observations: “It feels like a totally different team compared to when I played against them before. We’re improving with each game, but I sense we’re moving at a different pace now. Really, it’s about controlling what we can and focusing on improving as a unit on both offense and defense.”
The Liberty has definitely evolved since the start of training camp, with a fresh coaching staff and some new faces. Coach Chris DeMarco has been vocal about the need to prepare for the postseason, though they’ve faced challenges, particularly with injuries.
This season, the Liberty has had to field nine different starting lineups across 21 games.
Nonetheless, Ionescu’s return in mid-June has injected momentum into the team. Now, they’re ranking in the top four for both offense and defense, just trailing the Lynx with a 6.0 net rating.
So, what’s the next step for them?
“It takes 40 minutes to assemble,” DeMarco said. “We need to maintain our consistency.”
Leoni Fievich missed Monday’s practice due to foot soreness, while Sato Sabally was out following concussion protocol.
DeMarco mentioned both players are considered “day-to-day.”
Fievich’s foot issue arose after Friday’s match against the Lynx, making her availability for Tuesday’s game uncertain.
Sabally, on the other hand, was sidelined for two weeks after an opponent’s elbow struck her head while she was vying for a rebound. DeMarco noted that her condition is “improving,” but they’re still waiting for a timeline on her return.
It’s worth mentioning, this marks her second concussion in the last eight months.
