NY Liberty vs. LA Sparks preview: a late night battle between the W’s best and worst
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
It’s New York vs. Los Angeles, but the bi-coastal game isn’t what it used to be. The Liberty are 26-5, the Sparks 6-24. In game two of the Liberty’s three-game West Coast road trip, New York will look to continue their momentum following Monday’s 84-70 victory against the Phoenix Mercury. The Liberty were able to get the win this time with their full roster healthy again as Betnijah Laney-Hamilton made her return, contributing on both ends like usual.
Tonight, the Libs will be facing the Los Angeles Sparks in their last meeting of their four game season series, all of which New York won by double digit points. The Sparks, who have lost five straight home games will look to bounce back to create some sort of light in their dark season.
Where to follow the game
Catch the action at 10:00 PM on FOX5. Hopefully they’ve solved the audio issues that had a number of fans pulling their hair out.
Injuries
The Libs, as noted, are healthy.
The Sparks will be without Layshia Clarendon, Aari McDonald, Lexie Brown, and their rookie star Cameron Brink, who they lost back in June due to a torn ACL.
The Game
With the Liberty back in full force, it should not be surprising if their depth overwhelms the Sparks over the course of the game. At 26-5, they are almost the exact reverse of the Sparks whose record is 6-24, worst in the WNBA.
In the backcourt, Courtney Vandersloot has been Robin to Sabrina Ionescu’s Batman, especially in recent games as Ionescu has experienced shooting struggles since returning from her neck injury. Scoring a season high 16 points on 3-of-4 from deep, Sloot has been on a tear when the ball is in her hands. With Laney-Hamilton back, the Libs now have their primary perimeter defender back in action as well, which will especially be helpful in covering Sparks rookie forward Rickea Jackson.
Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones will of course do what they do best in scoring and making the correct reads when extra defenders come and help. Coming off the bench, rookie center Nyara Sabally continues to make some noise. The younger Sabally sister has proven this season that she can control the middle and create stops on the defensive end.
Players to watch
For the Sparks, Jackson and Dearica Hamby (17.8 PPG) will be leading the way for the Sparks. With all the news coverage that has surrounded Hamby as of late, it will be interesting to see if she can still provide the same production she has given the Sparks all season long.
More reading: Swish Appeal, CT Insider, Hartford Courant, Chicago Sun Times, The Strickland, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. Fansided, No Cap Space, Just Women’s Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next
New York Liberty Game Notes - New York Liberty
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings