Liberty vs. Storm: A Midseason Test or a Finals Sneak Peek?
What a matchup we’ve got on deck—Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty are set to host Nneka Ogwumike and the Seattle Storm this Sunday afternoon, and let me tell you, this one feels bigger than your typical midseason clash. Could this be a preview of the WNBA Finals? Or is it about to reveal which team’s title hopes are more fragile than we thought?
Now, a couple weeks ago, Stewart experienced something for the very first time—she lost to her former team. That’s right, Seattle took down the Liberty while New York was missing three key starters: Jonquel Jones (ankle), Sabrina Ionescu (neck), and Leonie Fiebich (overseas at EuroBasket). The Liberty were shorthanded and it showed. That loss kicked off a rocky stretch, and even though they’ve gone 2-2 since, the reigning champs haven’t quite looked like themselves.
Ionescu returned quickly but has been inconsistent—finally resembling her usual self just last game against the Sparks. Fiebich just got back too, but Jonquel Jones is still out, and her absence is no small thing. When she’s healthy and playing at least 10 minutes, the Liberty are undefeated. That’s how impactful she is—probably the most unguardable true center in the league.
Meanwhile, Natasha Cloud also hit a rough patch. After a red-hot start to the season, her shooting cooled dramatically in June. But maybe that game against L.A. was the spark she needed—she dropped a season-high 23 points.
Also Read:- "Insomnia on Channel 5: A Chilling Thriller That Will Keep You Awake"
- Brydon Carse's Sudden Spotlight Raises Eyebrows Across Cricket World
Stewart, though, remains the steady engine. Even with a cold 3-point stroke—under 21 percent from deep—she’s hitting 50 percent overall and averaging over 20 points a game. She’s doing what stars do: holding it down until reinforcements return. But here’s the question: when this team gets healthy again, will it flip that contender switch? Or has something deeper been shaken?
On the other side, the Storm are equally intriguing. Their defense is elite, and it fuels their transition game beautifully. But their offense? It's shaky. Low 3-point volume, limited bench depth, and a tendency to go cold offensively make you wonder: are they really built for a deep playoff run?
What they do have is Nneka Ogwumike, who continues to be nothing short of sensational. She just became the 7th all-time leading scorer in WNBA history and is coming off one of her best games of the season—against none other than the Liberty. She put up 26 points on over 70 percent shooting in that win. She’s the kind of player who can swing games singlehandedly.
So now, with the rematch set in Brooklyn, we’re about to learn something real. Either the Liberty show that their recent stumble was nothing more than growing pains without their full squad—or we find out that Seattle’s win wasn’t a fluke.
Sunday’s showdown might not decide a championship, but it sure feels like it could tell us who’s actually on that path—and who’s faking it. Set your alarms for 1 p.m. ET on CBS. This one’s not just another game—it’s a statement.
Read More:
0 Comments