Liberty's inconsistent start may be leading to a stronger effort in the second half.

Midway Review of Liberty’s Season

At the halfway point of the season, Liberty finds itself three games behind where they were a year ago.

However, this isn’t necessarily a negative. Last season, Liberty had an impressive start, winning 17 out of their first 23 games, but they later struggled and didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs.

This year’s team seems to be on the right track. Liberty’s record stands at 13-9, having improved from a shaky 3-4 start to 10-5 since then. Not to mention, they also claimed the Commissioner’s Cup title against the Aces.

In terms of performance, Liberty excels, ranking fifth in defensive rating (104.5), fourth in offense (109.8), and third in NET rating (-5.1 per 100 possessions).

When looking back at this time last year, they were second in offense (106.9), third in defense (98.1), and second in NET (8.9), though they eventually regressed in all three categories.

A bright spot for the team is Jonquel Jones, an All-Star who struggled with injuries last season. She, along with Brianna Stewart, will represent Liberty at the showcase in Chicago on July 25.

It’s worth noting that four of the Liberty’s nine losses have been by just a few points. So, they could very well have a better record, given that they rank ninth out of 15 for the remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.com. Currently, Liberty sits in fifth place in the WNBA standings, just 2.5 games behind second place.

Maybe this year will turn out differently, with a strong finish rather than a hot start.

The Liberty have kept quiet about the health of several key players ahead of their Saturday game against the top-ranked Lynx.

Coach Chris DeMarco didn’t provide any updates on rookie Pauline Astier and reserve Rebecca Allen, both of whom left their last game with apparent injuries.

Astier seemed to tweak her ankle while stepping on Asia’s James’ foot early in the fourth quarter and did not return to the game.

Shortly thereafter, Jessica Shepherd accidentally elbowed Allen in the nose, sending her to the locker room.

Leoni Fievic also faced issues with pain in her left foot after Friday’s game against Minnesota and missed the subsequent matchup. She practiced shooting the day after, but skipped Monday’s practice.