"Yet another legacy game" - WNBA insider lauds Breanna Stewart's heroic effort on sprained knee in season-ending loss for NY Liberty

Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty came up short against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the first round of the WNBA playoffs on Saturday. While the Liberty entered the season as defending champions, the team now heads into the offseason after a hard-fought playoff exit.

Despite a knee injury hampering her in game two, Stewart erupted for 30 points, nine rebounds and three assists in Game 3, leading the team in scoring.

While she and the Liberty came up short, Liberty beat writer Myles Ehrlich praised the two-time WNBA Finals MVP for her effort, calling the 30-point outing a legacy game for Stewart.

"Regardless of the outcome, this has been yet another legacy game in the storied career of Breanna Stewart," Ehrlich wrote. "Her toughness should never be forgotten by fans of this sport we all love."

The performance from Stewart came on the heels of a six-point, two rebound and two assist outing in Game 2. While the team came up short in Game 3, Stewart's gritty performance clearly left a lasting impact on Liberty fans.

Throughout this season, Stewart averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks.

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What did Breanna Stewart say about her injury?

After an 18-point, six rebound outing against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1, Breanna Stewart struggled in Game 2 on Wednesday, playing just 20 minutes in what the Liberty hoped would be a closeout game.

“It probably became more of a mental barrier than a physical one," Stewart said after the game. "Obviously everyone knows what I'm dealing with, but the good part about today was I was able to test it, I was able to see how I felt.”

Stewart previously described the injury, which happened during overtime of Game 1, as essentially a sprained MCL. Although she didn't practice on Tuesday, Phoenix players and coaches weren't surprised that Stewart played in Game 3, according to WRAL News.

Now, she'll have a chance to recover before the start of the second Unrivaled season in early 2026, which will wind up featuring two new expansion teams.

Given the start of the season is a couple months away, Stewart should have plenty of time to recover before tip-off for the second season.

Edited by nagpaltusharn25