Liberty Eye Playoff Seeding Amidst Condensed Schedule

The New York Liberty are returning to WNBA action with a sense of urgency, aiming to improve their playoff seeding in the final four games of the regular season. Currently tied for sixth place in the standings, the team acknowledges the challenge of re-establishing momentum after a WNBA-mandeminated FIBA World Cup break.

Guard Sabrina Ionescu emphasized the need to avoid excuses despite the team's global commitments. "We have to continue to ascend," Ionescu stated. "We have to understand we can’t use these next four games as an opportunity for excuses." The Liberty had been playing well prior to the break, winning seven of their last ten games, but the league's pause sent half the roster to compete internationally.

The team's schedule concludes with a road game against the Minnesota Lynx, followed by a matchup against the Toronto Tempo, and then two home games against the Atlanta Dream. This condensed finish leaves little room for error as teams jockey for playoff positioning.

Head coach Chris DeMarco sees potential benefits in his players competing at a high level internationally. "Every team is going through something similar right now," he said. "The fact that they were all playing in those championship games, the third-place game... if you look at it in terms of them playing high-pressure games and playing in form over there, [it] could be a good thing for us." He also noted that players who remained have been improving in practice.

Ionescu stressed that the team cannot afford to wait until the playoffs to find their rhythm. "Four games is going to go by really quick, and we have to keep building and chipping away to be the team that we want to be come playoff time," she said. "And so for us, it’s just kind of like winning the road trip and being the best we can, and then obviously protecting home court when we get back."

This season's break differs from previous hiatuses, such as the one for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. That break occurred earlier in the season, allowing more time for teams to readjust. The Liberty capitalized on that extended period, winning 11 of their final 15 regular-season games en route to their first WNBA championship. The current short turnaround presents a unique challenge, with players potentially facing fatigue, jet lag, and adjustments from differing roles on their national teams.