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The New York Liberty suffered a 79-73 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 on Friday to crash out of the playoffs. Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart was nearly unstoppable but their cold-shooting cost them big. The dethroned champs shot 33.8% clip was a key reason they will face a long offseason of uncertainties.
Fans react to the loss that sent Stewart and Co. on vacation:
“YALL HORRIBLE STEWIE WAS THE ONLY ONE TRYING.”@nyliberty YALL HORRIBLE STEWIE WAS THE ONLY ONE TRYING 🤦♀️
One fan said:
@nyliberty F**K CLOUD CUT HER CLOWN ASS
Another fan added:
@nyliberty Running plays for Kennedy Burke is laughable
One more fan continued:
@nyliberty They need to trade Natasha Cloud. She has been terrible for this locker room.
Another fan reacted:
@nyliberty Breanna Stewart with arguably the greatest performance on a sprained knee ever. #WNBA
Breanna Stewart, who sprained her left knee in overtime in Game 1, had her best game of the series. She scored a game-high 30 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. “Stewie” hardly had any support in the deciding game. Only All-Star point guard Sabrina Ionescu hit double-digit scoring to help Stewart.
The versatile forward bounced back from a six-point, two-rebound and two-assist output in Game 2 on Wednesday. The dazzling performance in Phoenix was not enough to drag the Liberty to the finish line.
Phoenix surged to a 22-15 advantage after 10 minutes before holding on for the win. Unlike the Liberty, the Mercury had four players with at least 10 points. Satou Sabally topped the home team with 23 points while Alyssa Thomas tallied 20 with 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals and one block.
Beyond well-balanced scoring, the undersized Mercury’s rebounding dominance was another significant reason they beat the former champs. They held a 49-33 edge on the boards, including 8-2 on the offensive glass.
New York Liberty stars are unrestricted free agents after playoff exit
The WNBA is at the doorstep of pivotal changes for next season. Due to looming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks, players are hoping for more lucrative salaries. With that in the background, more than half of the players become unrestricted free agents.
The New York Liberty could look vastly different next season as their core of Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart could all leave. Key contributors like Natasha Cloud and Emma Meesseman are also free to sign elsewhere.
In Stewart’s three seasons in New York, they reached the WNBA Finals in 2023, won the championship last year and exited in the first round in 2025. Following her impressive performance despite playing through an injury in Game 3, fans are hoping she stays with the team.
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About the author
Edited by Michael Macasero
English (US)