The Liberty continue their homestand against a familiar foe in the Las Vegas Aces.
David Butler II-Imagn Images
Not the finest night for the champs. The New York Liberty took on the Seattle Storm on Sunday afternoon at Barclays Center, but a bad third quarter ruined the party as the Storm got their second win of the season against the Liberty.
The opponent tonight is still trying to figure things out. The Las Vegas Aces have tried to figure things out, but it’s been a rocky journey. They helped the cause by beating the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville on Sunday afternoon.
Where to follow the game
ESPN is the place to be. Primetime affair so we getting started after 8 PM.
Injuries
No Jonquel Jones. Natasha Cloud left the game on Sunday with an injury. She’s officially listed as questionable with a left hip injury. Isabelle Harrison left the game with a right knee injury. She’s out for this contest.
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is on maternity leave. Megan Gustasfon has yet to play this season due to a knee injury, but is listed as questionable.
The game
New York won the first meeting on Ring Night.
Once again, A’ja Wilson has to do everything for the Aces. She’s been her usual amazing self as she’s first in the WNBA in blocks, second in scoring, and third in rebounding. When she gets the ball on the elbows, she can control the court and get to whatever spot she wants. Wilson does everything you want the face of the league and brand to do, and it’s a blessing to watch her work every night.
Without Jonquel Jones, the task of stopping Wilson becomes a million percent harder. Over the last ten games, the Liberty have allowed 38.4 points per game in the painted area. That’s the second highest mark in the league during that time span, and that coincides with Jones’ absence. The Liberty centers need to be better, but the perimeter players will need to provide more help as well as they try to get through this rough patch.
When the Liberty are at their best, they’re out on the run and getting easy buckets in transition. It felt like Natasha Cloud was the only player that pushed the tempo on Sunday and she was having a good game before her injury exit. Defenses have been playing the percentages and going under when her teammates set screens, but Cloud has been making them pay in recent games as her jumper has been working.
Ultimately, this game will come down to the two guards. Sabrina Ionescu has started to snap out of her recent slump and knocked down five first half threes on Sunday. If the game is close late, they’re going to need Sab to deliver some heroics to get them to the finish line and back in the winner’s circle. In the first meeting with Vegas, she only went 3-12 from the field and 0-5 from three point range. Without JJ, she’s taken on a bigger slice of the offensive pie to some success. The playmaking is her calling card and as teams keep sending multiple players at her, she’ll be tasked with making the right decision each time
That’s the growth right there.
On the other side is a former scoring champ, Gold Medalist, and champion. It’s been a tough move to Vegas for Jewell Loyd as she’s trying to find her way. The three point shooting is solid at 40.4 percent, but the overall shooting is at 37.1 percent. What’s been a big problem is the career low free throw rate and only 15 total field goal attempts inside the restricted area. The Aces can’t survive like that, and they need Loyd to find her way back to elite status in a hurry.
Player to watch: NaLyssa Smith
It’s not often the overwhelming consensus surrounding a trade is HUH. That’s what happened when the Aces traded a 2027 first round draft pick to the Dallas Wings for Smith a few weeks ago. That’s… ambitious for a player of Smith’s caliber, but what’s done is done. Becky Hammon and the Aces hope that she can provide interior scoring punch and a high motor so Wilson doesn’t have to do everything. If she does that, the Aces might get back to the top half of the league. If they don’t, then we’ll have even more questions of Hammon and Aces leadership.
It’s rare that Breanna Stewart has a 4-17 game, but it was that kind of night for the former two time MVP. She couldn’t get anything going against the Storm frontcourt and didn’t get to the free throw line once. That won’t happen twice so look for Stewart to press the issue early and often. Stewie tends to show out against the Aces and with the team playing this one before a four day break, she’ll look to push the throttle just a bit more tonight.
From the Vault
This Friday, the Clipse return, and it sounds like we’ve got a classic on our hands. Let’s take a trip back in time
More reading: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Local W, SB Nation, New York Daily News, New York Post, Gotta Get Up, The Athletic. NY Liberty Fan TV, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Sports Illustrated, NY Liberty Fan TV, Winsidr, No Cap Space, Fansided, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, and The Next