Our final New York Liberty replace ended by suggesting the Liberty may go 9-0 to begin the season. That didn’t occur, after all, however all issues thought-about, the Liberty are in an excellent place as we head into June.
Whereas the standings aren’t all the time a dependable indicator of staff energy in the beginning the season, particularly since groups have performed a various variety of video games, the Liberty sit comfortably in second place total; they’re solely beneath the Connecticut Solar, who’re, in reality, nonetheless undefeated at 8-0. Regardless, 7-2 is a wonderful report, and extra importantly, the Liberty look nice on the court docket.
Most of their wins have been fairly dominant. They’ve performed the Indiana Fever thrice, blowing them out by practically 40 factors in two of these video games. They’ve overwhelmed the Washington Mystics twice in swift vogue. In addition they have good wins towards the Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury.
Their two losses have come to powerful groups within the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky, and each are nothing to panic about.
As June begins, so does Commissioner’s Cup play. The format of the event has modified a bit this yr, with groups enjoying convention rivals as soon as in a two-week interval at first of June. These video games nonetheless depend towards the common season, but in addition the highest staff from every convention after the 2 weeks of video games will advance to the Cup championship. The Liberty at the moment high the Jap Convention within the Cup standings, together with the Solar.
Let’s undergo just a few highlights from the previous few weeks of play:
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton locks up Caitlin Clark
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Head coach Sandy Brondello says Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is an early contender for Defensive Participant of the Yr, and she or he’s not unsuitable.
Let’s not dive too deep within the #discourse, however it’s an apparent proven fact that groups try to throw their finest protection at Caitlin Clark. The rookie broke the NCAA scoring report (each males’s and ladies’s) previous to being drafted to the WNBA, and may get scorching from distance. Clark scored underneath 10 factors in two of the three video games between the Fever and Liberty; her solely different efficiency that didn’t attain double digits was towards the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces.
Sandy Brondello on Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s protection: “I maintain saying she must be defensive participant of the yr due to what she does for us.” Brondello says she switched Laney-Hamilton from Clark to Mitchell within the second half as a result of Kelsey was scorching. (Q: @GeoffJMags)
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) June 3, 2024
In her first contest towards the Liberty, Clark scored 9 factors. She adopted it up with a pleasant 22-point efficiency—in her house opener, nonetheless—however within the Fever’s most up-to-date sport towards the Liberty, Clark was held to simply three factors.
That is primarily due to Laney-Hamilton’s protection on her. Laney-Hamilton completely locked her up, as she shot 1-for-10 from the sector, considered one of solely three performances this season the place Clark has tried 10 or fewer photographs. Within the Liberty’s different video games towards Indiana, Clark shot 1-for-7 and 4-for-10 from 3, respectively.
Breanna Stewart bolsters the trouble on each ends
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After all, the 2023 MVP is an enormous issue within the Liberty’s successes as effectively. Whereas Stewart has seen a small dip in her stats in comparison with final season, it has not stopped her from main her staff to a fantastic begin to the season.
She at the moment averages 17.9 factors, 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and a pair of.2 steals per sport, and has scored in double digits in each sport however one this season. If something, the staff’s consistency whereas Stewart’s 3-point taking pictures is down is proof that this staff is a contact extra balanced than it could have been final season. Perhaps that’s because of the elevated chemistry after over a season of enjoying collectively. Regardless, Stewart’s struggles haven’t stopped her from impacting the sport in different methods. She’s fourth within the league in steals per sport, eleventh in scoring, sixth in rebounding and eleventh in blocks.
And in the long run, she’s nonetheless the participant you go to if you want a bucket.
What’s subsequent for New York?
Now that Commissioner’s Cup play has begun, the Liberty will play a collection of Jap Convention foes within the coming weeks.
They’ve already performed Indiana, and have Chicago, Atlanta, Connecticut and Washington up subsequent to find out whether or not they may return to the Commissioner’s Cup championship to defend their title and donate more cash to their chosen charity, Ladies Creating Change.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton on Ladies Creating Change: “The first level for the group is to present ladies a voice and platform to make change… in entrance of legislators. That is the first purpose we’re partnered with them.” (Q: @ClassicJpow)
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) June 3, 2024
The one sport that’s intriguing from that bunch is the match towards the Solar, who nonetheless stay undefeated. Though Connecticut might lose earlier than the sport between these two groups goes down on Saturday, June 8 (1 p.m. ET, ABC), the Liberty perhaps have one of the best probability of any staff within the East to take down the Solar. That sport will doubtless decide the staff that can characterize the Jap Convention within the Commissioner’s Cup, relying on how the remainder of the video games go.
It additionally would be the first time this season the 2 powerhouse groups face one another, after the Liberty beat the Solar within the WNBA semifinals final season. It’s going to be a fantastic sport—one you positively wish to circle in your calendar!
