This past week, the New York Liberty reached a record of 17-5, which is their best start in franchise history. On Tuesday, they overcame an 18-point deficit from the Seattle Storm to achieve the historical mark. The Liberty recently beat the Atlanta Dream on Thursday to improve their record. Check out the season highlights and predictions for this dominant WNBA team.
WNBA News: New York Liberty – Best Start in Franchise History
Season Highlights
The New York Liberty have the second-best record in the WNBA (18-5) but have had many other notable accomplishments this season. So far, they lead the league in assists, three-pointers made, and three-point percentage. In addition, three players from the team made the All-Star game. Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, and Sabrina Ionescu participated in the All-Star festivities and had successful showings.
Sabrina Ionescu Makes History in the 3-Point Contest
Sabrina Ionescu scored 37 points in the WNBA Starry 3-Point Contest. She only missed two shots and became the first contestant in history to achieve that score. This feat is something no WNBA or NBA participant has achieved before and is truly remarkable. Ionescu is currently ranked 2nd in the league in three-pointers made and 5th in three-point percentage.
Team Stewart Wins the WNBA All-Star Game
The WNBA elected Breanna Stewart as an All-Star captain for the second consecutive year. Last year, her team lost by a wide margin, but this year, Team Stewart won 143-127, marking Stewart’s first win as a captain.
Stewart has also been a captain on the court for the New York Liberty. She averages 23.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 40% for three-pointers. Her play continues to make a great case for her to be the league MVP.
The Liberty’s accomplishments this season are a reflection of their depth of talent.
The New York Liberty Have Incredible Depth
The depth of the New York Liberty cannot be talked about enough. Their All-Stars are one factor, but their play off the bench is impressive. The Liberty rank 3rd in the WNBA in bench scoring and defense. They have four players averaging double-digit points per game, two of whom were not All-Stars. Jonqel Jones is averaging 11.9 points while contributing 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Betnijah Laney avergages 11.4 points. These highlights overshadow another intriguing piece the Liberty have, Han Xu.
Han Xu only plays 3.6 minutes per game but has an array of offensive and defensive tools to offer. Her playing time is scarce due to how deep the Liberty is, but her presence still makes the team dangerous.
What is also dangerous is the New York Liberty’s championship odds.
Last Word: The New York Liberty are Championship Contenders
This season has been nothing short of amazing for the New York Liberty. They clearly have the pieces necessary to contend for a championship. With the second-best record in the league, an MVP candidate, and a slew of depth, the sky is the limit.
The team with the best record in the WNBA is the Las Vegas Aces, but the Liberty are hot on their trail. Will they be able to rise to the top and beat the returning champions?
