BROOKLYN, NY – The New York Liberty seemed to be getting any shot it wanted against the Indiana Fever, and the scoreboard proved it. Holding a lead as large as 27 points Wednesday night, they cruised to the 98-77 win against a Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever.
New York was getting every look it made and doing so effectively. They shot 58% from the field, 52% from three-point range, and 91% from the free throw line. Five Liberty players scored at least 10 points, and all but one recorded points.
New York jumped out to a lead early, thanks to its scoring down low. With 3:45 left in the first quarter, it led 23-16, with 14 points coming from the paint. The Liberty held onto the lead for the rest of the frame and went into the second quarter up 32-24.
Breanna Stewart was crucial in the frame, accounting for five of her team’s 10 assists and adding six points. Depending on the possession, she was both setting screens and using them to take her mismatch to the bucket. She continued her dominance and finished the game with 24 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and four blocks.
“Usually, the games where you’re leaving or you’re going to something are the hardest, because there’s so much happening,” Stewart said, as this was the final game before the All-Star break. “And I wanted to kind of set the tone and really focus in.”
The Liberty were efficient everywhere on the court, shooting 68% from the field and 60% from deep in the first quarter. Indiana shot 41% from the field and 44% from three-point range, but it wasn’t enough to keep up.
New York continued to build on its lead in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 53-38 advantage. At times, the Liberty’s help defense came a second too late, but the Fever couldn’t capitalize.
The slow coverage did hinder New York as Indiana was sent to the free throw line 12 times, double the amount of its opponents, and made 10 of the attempts. However, six times the Liberty were able to make a play on defense by blocking the shot. Nyara Sabally led in that category with three blocks.
“[Sabally’s] learning how to defend these post players,” head coach Sandy Brondello said. “She’s been really great for us here. I know she wasn’t probably as involved as much in the offensive end, but we need her on that defensive end, it starts with her.”
New York forced Indiana to take a timeout less than three minutes into the second half after outscoring it 10-4. The timeout didn’t ice the Liberty at all and they continued to knock down shots.
The Fever took another timeout, trying again to cool off the Liberty after Marine Johannès made a three-pointer with 3:19 left in the third quarter. This time, it worked out. Indiana ended the quarter on a six-point run to cut its deficit to 74-57.
Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham did their best to match the Liberty’s output, leading the team with 16 and 12 points, respectively, but were no match without Clark, who reaggravated a groin injury that had sidelined her.
Indiana looked as if it was finally competing with New York in the second half, but it was due to an increase in their offense; they still weren’t able to slow down the Liberty. The Fever were only outscored by two and four points in the final quarters, but it ultimately didn’t matter as no big runs were made and the deficit was too large to overcome.
