WNBA: Breanna Stewart, now second-best, leads Liberty in playoffs

Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson have been in a best-player-in-the-world race for a while now, with many individuals believing that they may sooner or later go Diana Taurasi and grow to be the first- and second-greatest gamers of all time.

The truth is that Wilson is now clearly forward of Stewart, though most would have given the title of world’s finest to Stewart over the earlier six years, going again to when Stewie received her first MVP award in 2018. An enormous turning level towards Wilson was Sport 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals. Stewart’s New York Liberty had simply prevented elimination by successful Sport 3 and had been once more on their house courtroom for a Sport 4, when Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces had been with out 2022 Finals MVP Chelsea Grey and one other starter in Kiah Stokes. Wilson put the Aces on her again to safe the championship with 24 factors and 16 boards. In the meantime, Stewart could have had 14 rebounds and 5 assists, however shot 3-for-17 from the sphere and scored simply 10 factors.

Picture by Mike Lawrence/NBAE through Getty Pictures

When their careers are stated and performed, we are going to inevitably look again at that recreation—an elimination recreation within the Finals—and level to Stewart’s lack of clutchness and the way Wilson took it upon herself to make up for the absences of teammates with a heroic efficiency on the highway. Stewart can’t undo that, although she will be able to add extra knowledge factors in her favor.

A’ja’s ascent into all-time territory

After that recreation, Wilson and Stewart stood at two championships and two regular-season MVPs apiece. Stewart held the sting over Wilson with two Finals MVPs to 1, however the tide gave the impression to be shifting in the direction of Wilson. Then, the 2024 common season occurred. And A’ja unquestionably ascended to the throne of one of the best participant on the earth.

By June 3, it was already clear. That day, Swish Enchantment’s Hoopers Hierarchy got here out and ranked Wilson No. 1. Stewart was No. 2, as Swish Enchantment flipped the superstars’ 2023 rankings. And by the top of the season, it was abundantly clear that Wilson must be No. 1, she had simply accomplished arguably the best particular person season in WNBA historical past, eclipsing any single-season effort that Stewart had ever put forth. Wilson averaged 26.9 factors to shatter Taurasi’s 18-year-old file of 25.3 and have become the second unanimous MVP in league historical past; the primary was Cynthia Cooper within the league’s inaugural season in 1997.

Picture by Barry Gossage/NBAE through Getty Pictures

Wilson, age 28, is the youngest participant to succeed in three MVP awards. Lauren Jackson was only one 12 months older, however her profession was by no means the identical after the 2010 season, wherein she received her third, due to accidents in 2011 and her specializing in the Olympics in 2012. Extra accidents compelled her to retire from the WNBA after 2012. The opposite two gamers with three, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes, had been each 34. Wilson has a golden alternative to seize a record-breaking fourth.

Stewie’s now second-best, however at all times has been unstoppable

However let’s shift our focus to Stewart, who’s at present up 2-0 on Wilson within the 2024 semifinals. A lot has been written about Wilson’s greatness this 12 months, however what about how Stewie is dealing with not being the face of the league? It’s value occupied with as a result of she has been a seemingly unstoppable drive for therefore lengthy.

Stewart, in fact, went to UConn and is likely one of the most profitable Huskies of all time, with 4 Closing 4 Most Excellent Participant awards. She embodies, maybe higher than anybody, the intimidation issue that comes with UConn. From her first look within the public eye up till only recently, she has had an air about her: She simply couldn’t be beat. And for a lot of that point, it wasn’t only a vibe; it was a actuality! She received each championship to be received in faculty from 2013 to 2016. The pattern principally continued within the WNBA. After she acquired her ft below her on the skilled stage, the Seattle Storm received titles in 2018 and 2020. If not for accidents that saved her out of the playoffs in 2019 and 2021, she might need captured one other two.

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In 2022, as a member of the Seattle Storm, she was bested by Wilson and the Aces within the semifinals, however not with out placing up 29.5 factors per recreation in that collection. In 2023, the tremendous group she helped kind in New York fell brief as nicely, however, regardless of her poor efficiency within the ultimate recreation of the postseason, she was that common season’s MVP. So her standing as one of the best participant on the earth was nonetheless considerably in tact by means of the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Will Stewie’s Liberty ship a long-awaited title to NY?

The humorous factor is, now that she is clearly behind Wilson individually, she will be able to nearly style the return of that group success she has identified all through her life. The Liberty have historical past on their aspect, as Vegas is looking at 18 cases in WNBA historical past of the group up 2-0 successful the collection, in comparison with zero cases of the alternative occurring. On the opposite aspect of the bracket, the Connecticut Solar could be underdogs in opposition to New York within the Finals. The Minnesota Lynx won’t be as huge underdogs, but when the Liberty can recover from the psychological hurdle of dethroning the two-time reigning champion Aces, it will likely be exhausting to gradual their momentum. So Stewart actually is fairly near delivering the Liberty franchise its first championship.

In any case, group success is what sports activities are actually about. New York has discovered it, partly, by beginning 24-year-old rookie Leonie Fiebich over a key 2023 addition who helped the squad garner the “tremendous group” label: Courtney Vandersloot. At 6-foot-4 to Vandersloot’s 5-foot-8, Fiebich provides top to the beginning lineup, and she or he has made not less than two 3s in each playoff recreation to this point with not less than 50 p.c accuracy, together with a 4-for-4 effort in Sport 1 of the primary spherical. In the meantime, Vandersloot discovered a technique to be impactful off the bench in Sport 2 of the semis, with 12 factors and one lovely block of a Jackie Younger transition layup try.

Then there’s Jonquel Jones, the 2021 MVP who within the playoffs has the double-double common that’s so carefully tied to the Liberty’s success. And, in fact, there’s Sabrina Ionescu, who, together with Marina Mabrey of the Solar, has been a “Caitlin who?” participant in these playoffs, exhibiting followers of solely Caitlin Clark (in the event that they’re nonetheless watching) that different gamers can constantly drain emblem 3s. Ionescu is tied with Natasha Cloud of the eradicated Phoenix Mercury for second in playoff scoring common with 24.5 factors per recreation. She’s making 3.5 treys per contest at a 42.4 p.c clip, whereas including six dimes.

Ionescu gave Stewart a run for her cash because the Liberty’s MVP this common season, although Stewart nonetheless completed forward in league MVP voting by coming in third to Ionescu’s sixth. It’s powerful to say who’s the group’s go-to participant, with Stewart near Ionescu’s playoff scoring common at 20.5 factors per recreation. Stewart performed nicely in Sport 1 of the primary spherical, going for 20 factors, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks with zero turnovers. She had an off efficiency in Sport 2 of that collection, however opened the semifinals by dropping 34 on the Aces.

What was attention-grabbing in Sport 2 of the semifinals on Tuesday night time was that Stewie was one shy of her profession excessive in assists with eight. She has by no means recorded double-digit assists in a single contest, and thus has by no means recorded a triple-double. She got here considerably shut Tuesday with 15 factors and 7 boards. Her help whole was excessive as a result of she was typically bringing the ball as much as take strain off New York’s guards. She’s at all times been an excellent passer and was merely utilizing whichever of her talents was wanted to get the win.

That’s been the story of Breanna Stewart within the 2024 playoffs: doing no matter it takes to win. Her Liberty are 4-0 to this point; they’ve lived as much as their standing because the No. 1 seed.

Benefit from the Stew’ja semifinal battle!

In fact, Stewie would in all probability prefer to nonetheless be one of the best participant on the earth. She could by no means get that title again. If she doesn’t, we are going to nonetheless at all times bear in mind the stretch when she held it; we are going to nonetheless bear in mind the UConn intimidation issue that she embodied and the air about her that made all opponents really feel like they might by no means beat her group. Her ability set and agility at 6-foot-4 is unmatched. She had the sting over A’ja as a result of she had a 3-point recreation that A’ja has since flirted with however has but to completely undertake at excessive quantity.

A’ja’s higher than Stewie now, even with out the 3-point recreation, as a result of her mid-range has remained automated (and she or he’s making much more tough pictures from mid-range), whereas her driving skill has improved to that of an elite guard. In brief, she now has the agility of a Breanna Stewart, and is just scoring at will. She’s one of the best scorer within the recreation, interval. And, in fact, there’s additionally the rebounding and the protection and the center of a champion.

Champagne issues for Stewie, proper? Ah, to be the second-best participant on the earth. The intimidation issue and the air are exhausting to keep up, as each sport’s GOAT has found. However by means of 4 postseason video games, being No. 2 has been good to Stewie. All that Liberty followers need is for her to deliver them that long-awaited championship. She has the chance so as to add to her legacy by ending the longest title drought for any group in WNBA historical past (the Liberty have been round all 28 years and haven’t received one). And she or he has the chance to compete for championships fairly a bit longer.

With all that being stated, issues are wanting good for the Liberty, however we must be removed from penciling them in because the 2024 champions. For now, let’s simply sit again and luxuriate in Stewie vs. A’ja in Sport 3.