Liberty’s Grit Ends in Defeat

Fresh off their first championship last season, the New York Liberty entered the 2025 WNBA playoffs with high expectations. The team, led by point guard Sabrina Ionescu and forward Breanna Stewart, finished the regular season strong with a 27-17 record. This record placed them second in the Eastern Conference, behind the Atlanta Dream. Their offense fueled their success, averaging 84.4 points per game and ranking fourth in the league. Stewart led the team in scoring with 18.3 points per game, while Ionescu was the team’s primary facilitator, averaging 4.7 assists and a league-leading 93 percent free throw rate. On the defensive end, the team allowed only an average of 80.3 points per game from opponents, ranking them sixth in the league for defense. 

Riding the momentum of their strong regular season, the Liberty opened the playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury on September 14 with an exciting 76-69 overtime win. Newly acquired guard Natasha Cloud led the team with 23 points, and center Jonquel Jones added 12 rebounds to keep the game close. With less than a minute to play, Stewart hit a jumper to send the game to overtime. New York then outscored Phoenix 11-4 in overtime to clinch the victory. However, this win came at a cost; Stewart suffered a left knee injury while making a layup, spraining her medial collateral ligament (MCL)—which is an injury that typically takes at least two to four weeks to recover from, depending on the severity. 

Stewart’s injury limited her mobility and proved to be too great an obstacle to overcome in Game 2, where they lost by 26 points. Despite Stewart’s attempts at strapping on a knee brace and showing her grit, the difference in her play was painfully noticeable. With her movement limited and usual dominance gone, Stewart managed to score only six points in 20 minutes. The rest of the team did not do much better; the Mercury capitalized on their weakness sans-Stewart, sending the series to a decisive Game 3.

Ultimately, the Liberty’s 2025 season came to an end in a hard-fought Game 3 loss that saw various momentum swings. Stewart still managed to score 30 points with pure will and determination to make the game close. Ionescu added 22 points, but the rest of the team struggled offensively, shooting just 21.9 percent from the three-point line and failing to put another player in double digits. Their reliance on their two stars was just not enough to overcome a historic performance by Mercury All-Star forward Alyssa Thomas, who delivered the WNBA’s first ever 20 point triple double (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists). With a final score of 79-73, New York was eliminated, and Phoenix moved on to the next round. 

Although the New York Liberty’s 2025 season ended in a dramatic playoff loss to Phoenix, the team showed its grit and determination. “This team is more than resilient…we left it all out there. It seemed like the game was done when it was 72-64 and we still clawed back—fought back,” Stewart said, reflecting on the team’s Game 3 effort and the season at large.

This series highlights the Liberty’s reliance on its two stars—a critical vulnerability. The Liberty will likely look to improve their shooting during the offseason, which is essential to ease the scoring burden on Ionescu and Stewart and prevent offense from stalling when defense focuses on them. Despite their early exit, the Liberty still have a strong core built around their two All-Stars in Stewart and Ionescu, positioning the team to be a championship contender in years to come