Liberty Finds Momentum Ahead of All-Star Weekend

Brianna Stewart animatedly described the Liberty’s season thus far by waving her arm as if it was a plane hitting turbulence. “There were definitely moments of shock,” she reflected on Wednesday night. “It makes you wonder, ‘What are we doing? Why is this all happening?'”

However, the Liberty (15-12) appears to be gaining its footing after securing its second consecutive victory. The team’s success can be attributed in part to Sabrina Ionescu’s impressive shooting, strong defense in critical moments, and a newfound resilience that had previously faltered in tight games.

“I feel like things are a bit more stable now,” Stewart said, flattening her arms parallel to the ground. “If this is who we are, we don’t let ourselves get too high or too low… We just focus on the next game.”

Stewart and Jonquel Jones will represent the Liberty at the upcoming All-Star weekend in Chicago.

Notably absent will be Ionescu, who revealed he didn’t receive a formal invitation to defend his title in the 3-point contest. He also missed part of the season with an injury, keeping him from being selected for the All-Star game for the first time since 2021.

Opinions vary on whether the WNBA All-Star break comes at an opportune moment for the Liberty.

On the bright side, the team has finally regained some momentum. They secured consecutive wins for the first time in over a month, demonstrating discipline and executing plays effectively in both victories.

Ionescu has been performing well recently, scoring 115 points over the last five games, including two crucial late-game defensive plays.

Meanwhile, Jonquel Jones has recorded a double-double in six of his last seven games.

Stewart is averaging an impressive 26.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this month. Even with her fatigue from carrying a team beset by injuries for most of the season, she has shot 35.3 percent from beyond the arc in the last five games, which feels like a welcome turnaround.

Still, perhaps a break is just what the Liberty needs right now.

Pauline Astier seems to be hitting the rookie wall, and Stewart could also benefit from some downtime, although it’s unclear how much she’ll get after being selected for her eighth All-Star game.

The team remains without Sato Sabally (concussion) and Leoni Fievic (left foot), and their return remains uncertain.

As the week began, the Liberty were struggling, having lost eight of ten games— their worst streak since 2022.

The season has seen both exceptional highs and unexpected lows. They secured an eight-game winning streak earlier in June and clinched the Commissioner’s Cup, only to descend into a challenging period without two key players.

The recent wins over Dallas and the Chicago Sky have provided some relief as New York heads into the All-Star break in seventh place in the standings.

“It’s not over yet,” Stewart emphasized. “We’ll still face difficulties and struggles this season.” At the very least, they’ll get a brief reprieve from the challenges ahead.