It’s almost unthinkable, but it’s true. The New York Liberty — WNBA champions in 2024 and this year’s Commissioner’s Cup champs — are in danger of missing the league’s eight-team playoffs.
New York is 14-12 and a half-game above eighth place. The Liberty have lost eight of their past 11 games as they prepare to host the Chicago Sky on Wednesday night.
The Liberty have two former league MVPs in Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. Stewart, Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally are multiple-time All-Stars. However, Ionescu has missed 12 games due to injuries, and Sabally has been out since June 23 due to concussion protocol.
In addition, key starter Leonie Fiebich has not played since July 3 due to a foot injury, and guard Marine Johannes is questionable for Wednesday’s game due to an ankle injury.
In New York’s most recent game, a 99-98 overtime win at Dallas on Monday, the Liberty turned to seldom-used rookie guard Marine Fauthoux, who scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. It was easily the best performance of her five-game WNBA career.
Fauthoux, New York’s third-round pick in 2021, is a 25-year-old from France who signed a developmental contract for this season.
Now, due to the injuries, she’s getting a look.
“It was hard to watch other people play,” Fauthoux told the New York Post. “But I was sure my time would come.”
While New York is seventh in the standings, Chicago (9-17) sits in 12th place. The Sky are just 4-10 on the road and 1-8 in the Eastern Conference.
The Sky have faced the Liberty just once this season, losing 96-95 in Chicago on June 17. With just 10 seconds left in that game, Ionescu hit the winning layup with her left hand. That was New York’s eighth straight win at that time, and Sabally, Fiebich and Johannes all played.
Perhaps the Sky will be able to take advantage of New York’s weakened state.
However, Chicago’s Skylar Diggins, a seven-time All-Star who scored 19 points in that previous Liberty game, hasn’t played since July 3 due to a knee injury.
One of the Sky players to watch is former Liberty point guard Natasha Cloud, who averages 9.8 points and 4.5 assists and should have added motivation against her old team.
Kamilla Cardoso could give the Liberty trouble due to her 6-foot-7 frame. She’s averaging 14.2 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds.
Rookies Sydney Taylor (13.5 ppg) and Gabriela Jaquez (8.5 ppg) can both get hot and score.
“I’m always confident in my shooting,” Taylor said in a recent press conference, “and that’s regardless if I go 8-for-8 or 0-for-8.”
–Field Level Media
