Phoenix – Brenna Stewart woke up Friday morning filled with adrenaline, determined to give her all for Game 3.
After flipping over in bed, she quickly texted her wife, Malta.
Despite a sprained MCL in her left knee—a nagging issue—Stewart was resolute.
“That’s not a problem,” she remarked about her knee. “I told everyone, ‘I don’t care, let’s not talk about how it feels because I’m going to play.’ That’s what matters.”
Stewart really pushed herself. Together with Sabrina Ionescu, they fought hard.
Ultimately, their efforts fell short against the Mercury.
New York scrapped and clawed for most of the game, but the Mercury always managed to respond.
Alyssa Thomas drew chants of “MVP” as she stepped up to the free throw line during the game’s final moments.
When Ionescu missed a crucial three-pointer later on, her frustration was apparent; she tossed her jersey and raked her hands through her hair.
That was it.
Ionescu wrapped up the night with 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Stewart contributed 30 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
A pivotal moment came when Natasha Cloud’s three-point play gave the Mercury some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter.
But after a turnover, the real turning point was a 7-0 run, allowing the Mercury to take a 72-66 lead, with just over five minutes left.
That six-point gap proved too steep for New York to overcome.
Stewart, nursing her knee injury, battled until the end. She made a balanced jumper after taking a foul from Satou Sabally and converted it into a three-point play.
She followed that up with a hook shot over Dewanna Bonner to narrow the gap to three.
However, Bonner’s jumper after a rebound kept the Mercury up 76-71 with just over a minute to go.
Stewart did manage to clinch two free throws, trying to keep her team’s hopes alive.
But ultimately, her efforts weren’t enough, as Johnquel Jones and Kennedy Burke struggled to find their rhythm.
Jones managed only one point from ten attempts, and Burke, despite a solid shooting record this season, didn’t contribute significantly.
It was a disappointing series for Jones, who hadn’t been able to find her groove in recent games.
The tension was palpable on both sides. Players were visibly frustrated; at one point, Jones slammed the ball after an official’s call, earning herself a technical foul.
Even with teammates trying to calm her down, she remained on edge.
After witnessing a free throw by Sabally, Stewart briefly comforted Jones by tapping her shoulder.
Eventually, Stewart managed to knock down a difficult jumper in the second half, trying to rally her team.
The difference in free throws during the first quarter was glaring: the Mercury shot eight more than the Liberty, making all ten attempts.
Phoenix finished the first quarter with a 22-15 lead. They even stretched their lead to nine in the second, putting New York in a tough spot.
It was clear that Ionescu and Stewart were determined to not let their team falter.
A 12-2 run helped bring Liberty back into contention.
Ionescu caught fire, scoring 12 points in the second quarter alone, even celebrating enthusiastically after a three-pointer.
But as the game wore on, New York fell behind again, a slow start in the second half leaving them vulnerable to Phoenix’s offense.
The season came to a close for the Liberty. Ultimately, they lacked enough defensive stops and scoring to change the outcome.
Now, they face an uncertain offseason, with contract negotiations and numerous free agents on the horizon.
