The New York Liberty dipped after looking like a team on another plane. After a 9-0 start, they have stumbled while being plagued by injuries. To bolster their squad, they brought in 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman, leaving rival fans reeling as the team became even stronger. It was clear they were going for a back-to-back title. Head coach Brondello has often said that Meesseman is the “smartest player” she’s ever coached, going back to their days in Russia. But did she resolve their troubles?
Short answer? Meesseman immediately turned things around for the Liberty. After a four-game skid, she inspired a three-game winning run, but they were quickly reminded that they were in a fight for the second-best spot in the country after a loss to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. Then, Brondello’s team fell to A’ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces, raising doubts about whether they can contend for the title. Brondello drilled the one area they absolutely must improve to repeat their 2024 exploits.
Brondello said via Geoff Magliocchetti, “This isn’t about our opponents…we haven’t been consistently great…the Achilles heel is too many turnovers, too few block outs.”
Their glass-crashing troubles are well-documented. When Jonquel Jones was injured, the team basically gave away free rebounds. With Jones back, the team has improved, but they are still among the worst teams. With 34.0 rebounds per game, they are eighth in the league. And in terms of offensive rebounds, they sit dead last with 6.8 per game.
While Jones is important, Breanna Stewart’s placement on the injured list has hurt them in multiple ways. Stewart was Jones’ partner in crime in the paint, the next best rebounder on the team, and the one who went for those second-chance points. At 2.6 second chance points, she was the best on the team. Moving on, if those had been their only struggles, it would have been much easier, but they are also struggling to hold the ball. The Liberty are averaging 13.1 turnovers per game while conceding 15.2 points off them.
Those are not league-worst stats, but they are not where you want to be while contending for the title. However, they know what they have to do in order to improve. “It’s just the discipline, attention to detail,” Meesseman said after a recent defeat. “No matter who we have on the court, no matter what level, players, [or] what league, it’s all about hustle. I don’t think you can practice that. So we just have to go out there and fight.”
The Liberty needs to revive that dawg in them that propelled them in the first place. Natasha Cloud and Jonquel Jones are two of the most important players when it comes to this aspect of their game. The injuries don’t help with the effort, as each player is needed to do more than normal every game. However, with just 10 games to go, the team needs to pull together for that last hurrah. Their finals rematch did not turn out the way they wanted it to, falling for the third time to the league leaders.
Liberty falls to Minnesota after that stern warning
Despite the loss, it cannot be denied that they kept up with a Napheesa Collier-less Minnesota for most of the game. It was a 2-point game until the final 27 seconds, but then Dallas signee DiJonai Carrington entered the game. With 25.2 seconds left, she outjumped Natasha Cloud for a crucial tip, forcing the Liberty to foul. Kayla McBride sank two of four free throws, and Jessica Shepard sealed the game with another pair at the line, leaving just 3.6 seconds on the clock.
An 86-80 scoreline after the final whistle could be seen as a little unfair, especially considering how the final four points turned out, but the Lynx managed to capitalize on the important moments on the day. The Liberty lost out 32-33 on the boards again, further focusing on their ability to box out their opponents. Their turnovers were at the fore, conceding 13 in this game. However, they led to only 8 points, which could be a positive thing to walk away with.
Oct 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) shoots as New York Liberty forward Nyara Sabally (8) defends during the first half of game four of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Jonquel Jones led New York with 17 points and 6 rebounds, while their top scorer, Sabrina Ionescu, had a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists. Marine Johannes added 12 points, and Kennedy Burke added 11. Courtney Williams ran circles around their defense, scorching the court with 26 points. However, this was a team display and the best the team has looked in the last few games.
The way the game capped off was a perfect representation, as they had only 8 free throws as compared to the Lynx’s 33. That’s the Liberty’s lowest total all season, and the next fewest came against the Lynx itself in their earlier clash. It’s encouraging that they stayed in the right headspace to rally, even when the calls weren’t going their way. After licking their wounds, this Liberty team will be raring to go when they host the Lynx again on Tuesday.
The post Liberty HC Leaves No Doubt About Sabrina Ionescu & Co.’s ‘Achilles Heel’ Before 3rd Loss to Minnesota appeared first on EssentiallySports.