A valiant effort, but just a wee bit short. The New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces engaged in another thriller on Thursday night. However, Vegas had just enough to hold on and beat the Liberty. With the loss, New York fell to the eighth and final playoff seed.
The Phoenix Mercury are looking for a rally in the second half of the season. They extended their winning streak to three after holding on to beat the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night, but they’re an underwhelming 5-9 at home. We’ll
see how this clash shapes out.
Game Info and Broadcast Details
- Matchup: New York Liberty (16-13) vs. Phoenix Mercury (11-18)
- Date: Saturday August 1, 2026
- Tip-off time: 3 PM EST/12 PM PST
- Venue: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix, AZ)
- TV Channel: ABC
- Livestream: Disney Plus
Liberty Injury Report: Who’s Out?
New York Liberty injury status:
- Out – Leonie Fiebich (left foot soreness)
- Out – Satou Sabally (concussion protocol)
Phoenix Mercury Injury Status:
- None reported.
The Game
New York won the first meeting (84-74 on May 27) and the second one (75-68 on May 29).
The W is sprinting to the trade deadline and no one knows who’s going where. The Liberty have been tied to rumors involving Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Keep an eye there. In the meantime, the Liberty are doing their best to block out the noise.
Otherwise, the Liberty hope for a better outing from Jonquel Jones. JJ struggled coming out of the All Star break and was powerless in her effort to slow down A’ja Wilson on Thursday night (granted, there isn’t a player alive that can stop the MVP) — but Jones presence simply wasn’t felt nor seen in a pivotal matchup.
The Liberty cannot afford this, so Jones will need to be on her toes against Alyssa Thomas. Thomas is still a locomotive and someone that can impose her will and out tough you if you’re not locked in. They’ll need to match her physicality and do what they can to keep her off the boards if they’re going to sustain her prowess. Thomas is at her best when she’s out in transition and forcing the defense into mistakes.
If New York wants to return home with a win, they’ll have to make sure they do their work early.
Breanna Stewart has been carrying things more than usual for the Liberty more than usual, and we’ll see how she goes about getting to it this afternoon. Stewart’s three point percentage is gradually starting to rise and now that she’s got it back in gear, it opens up the rest of the game for her. When Stewart plays at this level, she reminds you why she’s one of the greatest to ever step on to a basketball court.
When you put the ball in Sabrina Ionescu’s hands, good things happen. During the Liberty’s winning streak, she got double digit shot attempts each game. Against the Aces on Thursday, just seven. It’s on Chris DeMarco and the coaching staff to find openings for their star guard to punish teams. Sab has found her rhythm and the more shots you get her, the better the results will be.
Player to Watch: Kahleah Copper
After an awful start, the former Finals MVP is starting to get her groove back. Over her last ten games, Copper is averaging 22.6 points per game on .531/.360/.745 shooting splits. Her first step is still electric and is shooting an astounding 72.8 percent from the field on shots inside of three feet. Rim pressure is worth its weight in gold and when you can score like Copper does, your team will always be in a game.
Will the Liberty Defense Wake Up?
Most of the Liberty’s problems start on the defensive end. In July, they were 14th out of 15 teams in the WNBA in defensive rating. When you don’t get stops and you allow points in transition, danger awaits you. If the Liberty are to return to contention, they have to find the right mix on defense.
With Leonie Fiebich out, Rebecca Allen has taken her place in the starting five, and it’s been working so far. Allen’s length on defense will be essential as New York tries to figure things out on that end. On the other side, she’s shown a level of aggressiveness that has been very helpful for this New York group. But with Stewart and Ionescu playing top tier ball on offense, they’ll need Allen and a litany of defenders to keep Copper out of the paint.
From the Vault
It’s time for Summerslam!
More reading: GO PHNX, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, SB Nation, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Local W, New York Post, New York Daily News, Newsday, The Stomp, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, and The IX Basketball
