Another one on the board. The New York Liberty continued their homestand at Barclays Center on Thursday, taking on some old friends in the Toronto Tempo. New York extended its winning streak to three with a solid 97-82 Commissioner’s Cup victory.
But tonight, the opponent is the center of attention in more ways than one. The Indiana Fever are having a a tough week, but they got back on track with a win against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night. More on that in a second.
Where to Follow
- TV/Streaming: CBS
- Tip-off: 8:00 PM ET
Injuries
- Sabrina Ionescu is questionable.
- Caitlin Clark is probable.
The Game
The Fever pissed off of a
lot off this week. The organization decided to revoke the credentials of independent reporter Scott Agness for his reporting on Caitlin Clark’s back injury and the Fever’s plans for managing it. The team hasn’t put out a statement explaining the move (and likely won’t), no matter how many people chastise them. Simply put, it sucks, and they ought to feel embarrassed.
Moving on…
If the Liberty can get into the paint, they can control the flow of this game. New York ranks second in the WNBA in FG percentage inside the restricted area, while the Fever allow the third-most field goal attempts in that same zone.
This sets up a heavyweight battle down low. Jonquel Jones and Aliyah Boston are two of the best centers in Whichever star anchor manages to stay out of whistle trouble longest will give their team a massive leg up. For Jones, in particular, this season has been a great showcase of her skills. We’re regularly seeing JJ running pick and rolls, initiating offense, and doing a bit of everything on both sides of the ball.
“It’s probably the first time in a very long time that I’ve been able to play coming off of screens and stuff, like the last time I did that was probably before I left Connecticut,” Jones said. “And so to be able to get back into that and feel comfortable again and really working it into my individual workouts and stuff like that, so that when I do get out on the court, I feel that too but just not panicking when I get down there, I see guards waiting on me, taking that extra dribble, I think has been really good for me, too.”
Satou Sabally has gradually started to find her footing. She’s continued to come off the bench, but is looking more comfortable by the day and her skill at the forward position allows her to impact the game in all sorts of way. When everything is lined up for New York, they possess the most skilled and unique frontcourt in the WNBA.
If Sabrina Ionescu makes her return tonight, it’ll be interesting to see how minutes are distributed. Pauline Astier has done a great job running the offense and has continued to shine when driving to the rim. It gives New York some flexibility to take their time in managing Ionescu’s health and gives them more room to take a look at the versatile roster they have assembled.
Player to watch: Caitlin Clark
To be Caitlin Clark is to have the eyes of the universe tracking your every move. That’s great for the bank account and popularity. It’s terrible when a camera catches you going back and forth with your head coach after getting torched on defense all game long. Combine that with the front office getting yelled at by the league for playing fast and loose with Clark’s injury status, and it makes for an exhausting experience.
However, when things hit, it’s one of the best shows in sports. The logo threes, the trash talk, and fan excitement after every big play are worth their weight in gold and one of the big reasons why every Fever game is on national television this year. For Clark, the goal will be keeping the turnovers to a minimum so Indiana can get cleaner looks. The Liberty are going to throw a bevy of different looks at her, making this a highly anticipated chess match between Stephanie White and Chris DeMarco.
It pays to have plus defenders like Leonie Fiebich and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton back in action. Fiebich in particular gives the Liberty more length on the perimeter and someone that is always in the right position on both sides of the ball. Look for DeMarco to throw a variety of different looks and defenders at Clark, and Leo promises to be a key aspect of this primetime matchup.
From the Vault
Ones in the air for Rick Adelman
More reading: Fieldhouse Files, Circle City Spin, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, SB Nation, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Local W, New York Daily News, No Cap Space, New York Post, Newsday, The Athletic, NY Liberty Fan TV, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Winsidr, The Stomp, The Post Presence, Her Hoop Stats, Yahoo Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, and The IX Basketball.
