Certain matchups can reveal a lot. When you’re matched up against one of the best teams in the league, you have to meet their level. You’re trying to catch them and see where you stand as we draw closer to the playoffs. A good outing can give you a boost heading into the postseason. A tough loss can leave you questioning what would happen in the playoffs. For the New York Liberty, they left Thursday night’s game with plenty of questions they need to answer.
The Liberty were held to a season-low 60
points in a 79-60 loss to the Valkyries on their home floor. Golden State’s physical defense kept New York’s offense out of rhythm for most of this one. The Valkyries played two nights back, while the Liberty had a five-day rest after playing the Indiana Fever on Saturday.
It didn’t matter. Golden State took grasp of this game and never looked back.
“With a team like this with the physicality and just really making it tough, after awhile that can make it really hard,” Breanna Stewart said. “And I think that we gave the effort and energy that we wanted but we got to knock down some shots, so we got to find an easier way to score.”
Stewart added 16 points and six rebounds, but New York’s offense became increasingly difficult to sustain as the game went on.
Jonquel Jones set the pace for the Liberty early on, finding range as her arsenal from deep kept the defenses honest as the ball hummed around the perimeter.
However, that’s where the good times for NY ended.
Cecilia Zandalasini hit a series of difficult jumpers in the second quarter, while the Valkyries’ rangy zone defense disrupted New York’s high-powered offense. The Liberty scored only 11 points in the second quarter and entered halftime trailing 42-30.
Zandalasini ultimately led all scorers with 20 points, including four three-pointers, while Gabby Williams added 16 points and four rebounds for Golden State.
New York tried to make a push after halftime, cutting the Valkyries’ lead to 10 points on several occasions, but never managed to make it over the hump. Veronica Burton stood out for Golden State, and tied her season-high for assists (13).
The Liberty lost because they missed opportunities… and open shots. They finished 7-for-31 from three-point range, and many of those attempts came on open looks created by solid ball movement. Sabrina Ionescu and Leonie Fiebich went a combined 2-15 from three, which is out of character for the both of them.
Open three-pointers in the corner, threes off of good ball movement, etc., but they couldn’t get anything going. That also answers our pregame question about how Fiebich would answer her 20-point outing against the Indiana Fever.
Throughout the second half, frustration started to mount. Fiebich got whistled for a… curious flagrant foul following a Tiffany Hayes fall. In the fourth quarter, tempers flared a bit as Jones and Burton got into a small collision.
The game was never in doubt, though.
With 3:13 remaining, the Liberty emptied the bench. Burton was a difference-maker, finishing with eight points, two rebounds and a game-high 13 assists without committing a turnover.
The Liberty shot just 19-for-63 from the field (30.2%) and 7-for-31 from three-point range (22.6%). Ionescu finished with seven points on 2-for-12 shooting, while Fiebich scored just three points on 1-for-7 shooting.
Final Score: Golden State Valkyries 79, New York Liberty 60
Next Up: Chicago Sky
As we’ve mentioned several times: it was a season-low for the Liberty. By no coincidence, the previous lows for them this season were against the Valkyries as well (67, 70). Let’s just say it’s not looking good for New York if the two meet in the playoffs, a matchup some pundits deemed a potential playoff matchup preview.
“I feel disappointed with this one and a little bit embarrassed as well,” Rebecca Allen said after the loss. “I just don’t think that we should ever lose like that on home court.”
The last game before the FIBA World Cup break: New York closes things out with a matinee affair against the Chicago Sky at Barclays Center. Tip after 1:00 PM on August 29.
