Wednesday night time’s Recreation 2 at Barclays Middle might need been the Liberty‘s last house recreation of 2025.
And if it was, the 86-60 loss to the Phoenix Mercury was an terrible exhibiting that’ll depart a foul style within the mouths of Liberty followers for a really very long time.
However possibly such a loss ought to’ve been anticipated contemplating the misfortunes and inconsistencies which have plagued the Liberty all season.
Fairly merely, Recreation 2 felt like a microcosm of the complete 2025 Liberty season.
Accidents — from All-Star starters to key reserves — impacted the Liberty because the first month of the WNBA marketing campaign.
And simply when the roster grew to become entire, Breanna Stewart sprained her MCL in Recreation 1, forcing her to play by way of ache for nevertheless lengthy this playoff run lasts.
“I mean, I think it’s deeper than just that,” Jonquel Jones mentioned when requested how irritating it’s for Stewart’s harm being yet one more pace bump halting the Liberty’s potential. “Like you said, it’s not just on her. I think, you know, all of us have to kind of step our game up, step our defense up, our offense up like, you know, just looking at the stat sheet, like we’re such a powerful team offensively, and tonight they were able to really congest us and kind of muck things up.”
Certainly, the Mercury did muck issues on the defensive finish. The defending champions barely received by in additional time of Recreation 1, however received stifled in Recreation 2. In Wednesday’s first quarter, the Liberty completed with 10 made discipline objectives. The Mercury, nevertheless, restricted them to simply eight within the last half-hour of regulation — three within the second quarter, two within the third and three within the fourth.
After the embarrassing defeat, head coach Sandy Brondello and her staff spoke about the necessity to modify to save lots of their season — rightfully so.
However historical past means that the staff’s inconsistent offense might make one other look for Friday’s Recreation 3. Although Stewart anticipates “really letting loose” on Friday after extra time for her left knee to get better, she’s nonetheless not 100%.
Sabrina Ionescu is taking pictures 29% from the sector — and 20% from downtown — within the first two video games whereas topic to Nate Tibbetts’ recreation plan to use as a lot stress on her as attainable.
Natasha Cloud loved a stellar Recreation 1, however regressed in Recreation 2 whereas coping with level of assault stress as effectively.
Key supporters Leonie Fiebich and Kennedy Burke have principally been ineffective, too.
And most significantly, Jones hasn’t been capable of make her mark like she has in her earlier two Liberty postseasons — a recurring theme in 2025.
After getting simply seven discipline aim makes an attempt in Recreation 1 — and garnering not more than eight in every of the 4 of 5 video games main as much as the postseason — Brondello admitted Jones isn’t getting sufficient pictures.
“No, not at all. Not at all. You know… it’s us,” the pinnacle coach unhappy. “JJ being more aggressive where she can, and us making sure we put her in the action a little bit more. So it goes both ways, but we believe in JJ, and I’m confident she’s going to go out and have a big game today.”
JJ didn’t have a giant Recreation 2. She completed with seven factors on 9 makes an attempt to go together with 13 rebounds, two blocks, two turnovers and an help.
Too typically, she drifted on the perimeter whereas her teammates struggled to get by stress on the level of assault. And along with her to this point out, it leaves much less alternatives to affect the offensive glass like she’s completed in her profession. Jones, although, nonetheless managed to seize two offensive boards within the first half on Wednesday.
The problems recommend this playoff run could possibly be over. The possibilities to turn into simply the fourth WNBA franchise to win back-to-back championships have gotten slimmer. And the followers would possibly’ve watched the ultimate Liberty recreation at Barclays Middle in 2025.
A loss Friday ensures that. And there’s no assure for a return in 2026 with a lockout looming because the league and participant’s affiliation are at odds over a brand new collective bargaining settlement.
With the potential of a Recreation 3 loss and potential lockout on the horizon, Ionescu mentioned she hasn’t given any considered an opportunity the staff received’t have a return house subsequent Might.
However she did say followers deserve higher than what they witnessed in Recreation 2.
“We know the importance and significance of our fans and what we’ve built here,” the homegrown star mentioned. “And, you know, I think we know that we got to play better next game, because this shouldn’t be the end and how we leave them. You know, us as a team, but especially our fan base, who’ve supported us through a lot of highs and lows, they deserve to have more games played here, and we do as well. And so, you know, we got to go out and fight for our lives, fight for our season and wanting to come back.”
Initially Printed: September 18, 2025 at 7:47 PM EDT
