Latest news with #Liberty
New York Post
15 minutes ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Liberty focused on getting healthy as they lose shot at WNBA's top seed
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW The resounding belief among the Liberty and Lynx was that the WNBA schedule makers made a mistake by waiting until late July to schedule a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve called it a 'big miss' and said it was 'common sense' to schedule it earlier. To add insult to injury, the league's top two teams, who are on the brink of creating a rivalry, play four times in 21 days this late in the season and the battle for first place in the standings — and potentially home-court advantage in the 2025 WNBA Finals, which now is a best-of-seven series — may be determined specifically by how this regular-season series plays out. The Lynx are practically full strength, aside from losing Karlie Samuelson to an ankle injury that required surgery. 3 The Liberty's usual starters played without Breanna Stewart on Wednesday against the Lynx, along with Kennedy Burke and Nyara Sabally. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images But the Liberty have been hit hard by injuries, playing Wednesday's 2024 WNBA Finals rematch without Breanna Stewart (right knee), Kennedy Burke (right calf) and Nyara Sabally (right knee). Natasha Cloud was also under the weather but fought through it given the Liberty's thinned depth. 3 Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles against New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud (9) in the first quarter at Target Center. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images The Lynx beat the Liberty, 100-93, to take a 1-0 regular-season series lead and added to their cushion in the league standings. The Lynx (23-5) sit five games ahead of the Liberty (17-9) and six ahead of the third-place Mercury (16-10.) Barring a collapse, the Lynx are in strong position to take the top seed for the playoffs and would have home-court advantage throughout. The Liberty should hope to hold on to No. 2 and have home-court advantage for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs. Liberty players said they aren't paying too much attention to the standings. The reigning champions feel that when they are at full strength, they can beat anyone, anywhere. 3 New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) dribbles against the Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) in the third quarter at Target Center. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images The Liberty gave the Lynx a run for their money late in the fourth quarter Wednesday, cutting a 15-point deficit to just four over two minutes. That push was a reminder that the Liberty, even when not at full strength, are one of the league's most formidable teams, and they leave opponents a small margin for error.
New York Post
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Breanna Stewart's indefinite injury absence adds to growing list of Liberty questions
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Text with Madeline Kenney as she follows the Liberty — she's sharing behind-the-scenes info and insights with Sports+ subscribers. SIGN UP NOW MINNEAPOLIS — Breanna Stewart was doing individual band work off in a corner of the Target Center baseline Wednesday morning, trying her best to convince a Liberty staffer to let her join her teammates and shoot. But not only were Stewart's pleas not met, it got worse. She's sidelined indefinitely with a bone bruise on her right knee. Still, that didn't stop Stewart from putting up a few shots while standing still after shootaround wrapped up and players started to go their separate ways. If Stewart could have it her way, the fiery competitor probably would have played Wednesday night's 2024 WNBA Finals rematch, her bum knee be damned. But she also knows it's far more important for her to be healthy for the playoffs than to risk further injury in a regular-season game when she's already impaired.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liberty get unfortunate injury update for Fever game
The post Liberty get unfortunate injury update for Fever game appeared first on ClutchPoints. It's been a successful season so far for the New York Liberty, who currently sit with an impressive record of 15-6 coming back from the All-Star break. The Liberty are coming off of their 2024 WNBA championship, which they won in five games against the Minnesota Lynx, and have shown no signs of championship hangover so far this year. The Liberty's first game after the All-Star break will take place at home against the Indiana Fever; however, the Liberty got an unfortunate injury update regarding one of their key players earlier on Tuesday ahead of the contest. 'Liberty center Nyara Sabally has been downgraded to –OUT (Rest),' reported Jackie Powell of the Locked on Women's Basketball podcast on X, formerly Twitter. Powell added that Sabally 'wasn't a participant in shootaround and was getting treatment 'work done out in the back' according to GM Jonathan Kolb during shootaround this morning.' Sabally is one of the key members on a Liberty team that is brimming with talent and has returned essentially every key player from last year's championship run. Meanwhile, the Fever will be without their own star, Caitlin Clark, who suffered a groin injury shortly before the All-Star break that kept her out of the weekend's festivities. Clark has dealt with various injuries so far in her second season. The Liberty are hoping to generate some momentum and begin to peak at the right time as the WNBA playoffs quickly approach. New York is led in scoring by Breanna Stewart, with co-star Sabrina Ionescu right behind her. The Liberty also recently added some more depth to their talented roster by signing former WNBA player Emma Meesseeman, who hadn't played since 2022 but who has won a Finals MVP in her illustrious career, as reported by ESPN. In any case, the Liberty and Fever are slated to get underway on Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM ET from Brooklyn. Related: Liberty's Jonquel Jones to make official return vs. Fever Related: Liberty land Emma Meesseman over Lynx, Mercury in WNBA return
NBC Sports
9 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Liberty star Breanna Stewart has bone bruise in her right knee and is out indefinitely
MINNEAPOLIS — New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart has a bone bruise in her right knee and the team has no timetable for her return, coach Sandy Brondello said. 'We want to make sure she's right for the playoffs,' Brondello said before the Liberty played the Minnesota Lynx in a WNBA Finals rematch. 'But hopefully, we can get her back sooner than that.' A two-time WNBA MVP, Stewart was hurt early in the Liberty's 101-99 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. She had three points and a rebound. Stewart seemed to injure the leg while running up the court and exited about 3 1/2 minutes into the game. She went to the locker room and never returned to the bench. A seven-time All-Star, Stewart is averaging 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists. New York owned the second-best record in the WNBA at 17-8 and trailed the Lynx by four games.
NBC Sports
9 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Highlights: Long awaited Lynx vs Liberty rematch
Watch the top highlights from Wednesday night's WNBA games, including a rematch of the 2024 Finals between the Liberty and Lynx for the first time this season and a tight matchup between the Wings and Dream.
