Before the teams meet again on Sunday in New York, the New York Liberty will be looking to extend their winning streak to four games when they visit the Chicago Sky on Friday.
After defeating the host Seattle Storm 86-78 on Tuesday, the Liberty (3-1) have won their last three games by an average of 13.7 points. The Washington Mystics defeated New York on the road in the season’s opening game, 80-64.
Chicago (3-2) has dropped two of its beyond three games after a 83-65 misfortune to the host Atlanta Dream on Tuesday.
Breanna Stewart leads New York and averages team highs of 25.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. Sabrina Ionescu averages 16.0 points and 7.3 rebounds. Courtney Vandersloot contributes a team-high 9.3 points and 8.8 assists per game.
Stewart had a fabulous game against the Tempest, the group she prompted WNBA titles in 2018 and 2020 preceding joining the Freedom as one of the greatest free-specialist signings in association history in February. In the game against her former team, the two-time finals MVP and 2018 league MVP scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Ionescu scored 20 points and made six 3-pointers, and Vandersloot had 11 assists but did not score.
The Liberty anticipate matching the Sky’s performance. Before signing with New York as a free agent in February, Vandersloot spent her first twelve seasons with the Sky, leading them to their first title in 2021.
In the meantime, the Sky’s strong start to the season was ruined by a loss to Atlanta, which led by as many as 22 points in the second half and 40-25 at halftime.
The Sky were led by Dana Evans, who came off the bench to score 11 points, a team-high. Kahleah Copper, who averages 14.6 points per game, scored 10, and Marina Mabrey, who scores 14.3, also scored 10.
