INDIANAPOLIS — This was the model of Breanna Stewart that the Liberty wanted.
It was the one which they relied on final yr, as Stewart’s MVP season coincided with the Liberty’s run to the WNBA Finals.
It was additionally the one lacking within the season opener, when she collected simply eight factors whilst they nonetheless escaped with a win towards the Mystics.
However in their 102-66 win over the Indiana Fever on Thursday, spoiling the house opener for Caitlin Clark, Stewart completed with 31 factors and 10 rebounds, sparking the Liberty’s environment friendly offense and following via on her plan to be extra aggressive after the underwhelming opener.
After making an attempt 9 photographs towards Washington, she took 21 Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“Doing no matter I can to place them in essentially the most uncomfortable place that they wish to be guarding defensively,” Stewart advised reporters postgame. “However usually, I simply wished to return out extra aggressive coming off of final recreation.”
She opened the scoring with a jumper from the left facet of the paint, and Stewart remained environment friendly from that space — connecting on only one 3-pointer and making an attempt simply three.
Eleven of her factors got here within the first quarter, when the Liberty set the inspiration for what ultimately turned a commanding lead.
Stewart’s jumper with beneath 4 minutes left within the second quarter put the Liberty again up by 9, too, and he or she knew that the Liberty may get “no matter we wish” in transition — they completed with 16 transition factors in comparison with Indiana’s two — in the event that they executed correctly.
Final yr, within the first version of the Liberty’s superteam, Stewart was usually the one carrying the offense at occasions.
They possessed loads of choices — with Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot all within the beginning lineup — however Stewart strung collectively 4 40-point video games within the common season and one other three above 30 because the Liberty secured the No. 2 seed within the postseason.
That each one helped her win the second MVP of her profession, narrowly beating the Connecticut Solar’s Alyssa Thomas.
And her quest to defend that title took a essential step Thursday after the opener.
“You’re gonna have video games the place you’re solely gonna have eight factors, you’re not likely in an offensive circulate,” Vandersloot advised The Put up. “And then you definately’re gonna have video games like this. I imply, she’s at all times a menace. That’s what’s particular about her, and when she scores like this, she makes it look simple — nevertheless it’s not.”
