The New York Liberty have found a new gear, winning seven of their last eight games following a demoralizing 20-point loss to the Indiana Fever on July 18. That defeat, which saw the Fever stifle the Liberty with Caitlin Clark leading the charge, marked a "rock-bottom" moment for New York amid a frustrating 2-8 stretch.
Since that visit to Indianapolis, the Liberty have trended upward, proving their championship mettle despite ongoing injuries to Leonie Fiebich (left leg) and Satou Sabally (concussion protocol). Their current 7-1 record since the Fever game represents their most convincing performance of the season.
Approaching a Crucial Stretch
The Liberty (20-13) are set to face the Fever (20-12) again on Tuesday in a matchup between two teams playing well. Indiana has won eight of its last 11 games, and only a half-game separates the two squads in the congested league standings. "Every game is important," Fever coach Stephanie White acknowledged, noting the tight race for playoff seeding. "The Liberty are certainly playing well right now... they’ve found their way, so we got to make sure, again, we got to be really disciplined and detailed... and be ready for a tough one."
The Liberty are coming off an emphatic 111-71 victory over the Las Vegas Aces. That dominant performance saw key players Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones rest for the entire fourth quarter, although the Aces were also without stars A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray due to rest. Nonetheless, Stewart believes the win demonstrated the team's growth. "When things get tough, we definitely have been coming together more and just continue to kind of build the confidence just in a vocal way," Stewart said. "We’re just not letting one thing dictate the next... Missed shot, whatever happens, we’re still going to play defense and be in our schemes and go back down and get another opportunity to score."
Ionescu expressed confidence in the Liberty, who hold an 8-8 record against teams with winning records. Her focus is on capitalizing on the remaining seven games before the WNBA World Cup break. "It’s also understanding how important the wins are," Ionescu said, "and we can’t let easy ones slide."