The Liberty start 3-1 despite missing key players
The New York Liberty began this season winning three of their four games, including a 100-82 win a week ago. The post The Liberty start 3-1 despite missing key players appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.
Black News 
The New York Liberty began this season winning three of their four games, including a 100-82 win a week ago despite being without key players: Two 2025 WNBA All Stars, point guard Sabrina Ionescu, who suffered a left foot/ankle injury on May 3 was out, and forward Satou Sabally, who the Liberty signed as a free-agent in April, has been sidelined with a cyst.
The Liberty are also missing forwards Leonie Fiebich and Raquel Carrera, both winning a title on Sunday as teammates in the Spanish League. In their absence, seven-time All-Star Breanna Stewart is off to a strong start, averaging 23 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks.
Liberty first-year head coach Chris DeMarco is emphasizing the important details — big and small — that determine outcomes as the Liberty head into tonight’s game at home at the Barclays Center against the Golden State Valkyries.
“It is hard to play defense when you’re turning the ball over,” said the 40-year-old DeMarco after the Liberty’s 98-96 loss to the Portland Fire on May 12, a game in which the Liberty had only nine active players. DeMarco was Golden State Warriors assistant from 2012 until being hired by the Liberty last November after the contract of former head coach Sandy Brondello was not renewed. Brondello led the team to the 2024 league title.
“If you’re constantly in transition,” added DeMarco, “you’re out of position, you foul more, you give up threes and scrambles. It’s really hard. So it’s all connected. You can point out offense or defense, but the game of basketball is connected…
“It’s a new team, and we have to get used to playing with each other, and what we can do as a staff and players as a whole is continue to have the right space and understand if a defense takes something away, it means something else is open,” DeMarco added. “So it’s just all being on the same page and with people going in and out of the lineup…”
After a full week off, the Liberty begin a seven-game homestand tonight. After the Valkyries, they’ll play Dallas Wings on Sunday and on Monday the Portland Fire for the third time this season. On Wednesday, New York will host the Phoenix Mercury.
The post The Liberty start 3-1 despite missing key players appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.
