A steady stream of Liberty supporters filed out of Barclays Center despite five minutes remaining on the clock in Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Mercury. The typically committed fan base had seen enough before Phoenix walloped New York 86–60 to bring the best-of-three first-round playoff series level before heading back to Arizona. Sandy Brondello & Co. may have surrendered even before some fans left the building, with New York’s starting trio of Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart sitting out for the entirety of the fourth quarter. “We are a way better team than what we showed today,” Brondello said after the game.
The Mercury emphasized the importance of defense ahead of Game 2, and they executed their game plan to perfection. “Defense has been our calling card all year,” Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said after his team’s win. “When we rebound and guard, we can go.” Outscoring the Liberty 20–2 on fastbreak points, the Mercury’s stops also translated to explosive offense, with five Phoenix players finishing in double figures. “Our turnovers led to those easy baskets in transition,” Brondello said of her side.
None of New York’s starters scored more than nine points—with Jones failing to score after the first quarter and Ionescu shooting 3-for-13 from the field—as Phoenix successfully stifled the Liberty’s ball movement. Stewart, who sprained her MCL in her left knee in Game 1, played 20 minutes, recording six points, two rebounds and two assists.
“Stewie is tough,” Brondello said. “The physicality was hard for her. Stewie’s a champion, and she’s going to respond in the right way.” The Liberty coach added that having some time ahead of Game 3 on Friday could help her injured forward.
In many ways, Game 2 was indicative of the struggles that New York has faced all year—battling injury and struggling to stoke chemistry that translates to offensive fluidity. Is it too late to salvage a season that has been accentuated by hurdle after hurdle? Jones doesn’t think so.
“The season isn’t over,” Jones said. “We have the opportunity to go play another game and win another game. We know what it’s gonna take, and there’s definitely no panic.”
The Mercury are also facing down a must-win scenario. It should give them confidence that when their back was against the wall in New York, they responded, rebounding from an ugly opening loss. Satou Sabally finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists after a ghastly Game 1 where she went 2-for-17 from the field. Alyssa Thomas once again served as the engine for her team with 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Tibbits lauded his star on Wednesday, calling her “a beautiful mind” and “a savant,” adding, “she sees things that others don’t.” Indeed, Thomas felt a step ahead of New York on Wednesday, on both sides of the floor.
With all the momentum and home-court advantage, Game 3 certainly feels like Phoenix’s to lose. It’s no small feat to knock out the defending champions (even if they’re not at full strength), and the Mercury get to show if they’re up to the task. They have the veterans and the talent to do it. Now it’s up to Tibbits’s team to show they have the mettle.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liberty Stumble Through Embarrassing Game 2 Loss to Mercury .
