On Sunday night, the New York Liberty defeated the Chicago Sky with a score of 86-69. The victory marks the Liberty’s sixth straight win. As expected, Breanna Stewart showed up in top form. She scored 26 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished five assists with two blocks. Even more impressive, Courtney Vandersloot put on one of the best performances in WNBA history.
New York Liberty Keeps Winning Streak Alive With Dominant Win
Courtney Vandersloot Joins Elite Company
Courtney Vandersloot’s stat line of 20 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals was an all-time WNBA performance. She became the second player in league history to record that many points, assists, rebounds, and steals in a single game. The first player to achieve the feat was Ticha Penicheiro, who played for the Sacramento Monarchs. Vandersloot’s performance is an excellent example of the variety of ways the Liberty beat other teams. Vandersloot can control the game with elite playmaking and defense when Stewart is not scoring. Her performance adds confidence to the Liberty, who want to make a deep playoff run and win the WNBA Championship. To close out the regular season well and prepare for the playoffs, there is one vital thing the team can focus on.
Rely on the Bench More
The Liberty should rely more on their bench to give the starters a rest going into the playoffs. Fatigue and injuries have already begun to affect the team, as Sabrina Ionscue has been bothered by a right calf injury. As a result, she has missed a few games to focus on her recovery. In the game against the Sky, the Liberty gave additional minutes to guards Marine Johannes and Jocelyn Willoughby. Both guards made positive contributions; however, one player that needs more playing time is Han Xu.
Xu only played two minutes on Sunday. If the Liberty want to take pressure off forwards Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Betnijah Laney, Xu needs extended minutes for the rest of the regular season. She would be a serviceable presence in the paint. At six-foot-ten, she has the size to compete with anyone. She can also be a weapon in the playoffs if she catches fire. Speaking of fire, the Liberty are on pace to have the best record in the league.
Can the Liberty Finish as the WNBA’s Top Team?
With Sunday’s win, New York is 30-7, first in the Eastern Conference and second in the WNBA. The Liberty have three more regular season games with the chance to end the season on a nine-game winning streak. Their red-hot play is pushing them as favorites for the title. Nevertheless, the Las Vegas Aces will not allow an easy path to a ring. The reigning champions currently have the best record in the league, but if any team can compete with them, it is the Liberty. Now, they will focus on closing the regular season as strongly as possible. New York’s next game against the Dallas Wings tips off on Tuesday, September 5th, at 8 p.m. EST. They will return to the Barclay’s Center for their last two games of the season against the Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics.
