Liberty topple Sky to end regular season on three-game winning streak

CHICAGO — The Liberty ended their season the same way it began.

With a win. 

New York on Thursday owned the Sky 91-86 in the regular-season finale. 

The Liberty basically won the game in the first quarter when they outscored Chicago 26-11. 

New York was up by 14 at halftime and saw their lead balloon to as big as 23.

Everything went according to script, and now the Liberty — finally without the burden of injuries — head into the playoffs having won three straight games and feeling good about themselves. 

Things went so well, in fact, that the Liberty rested their starters for most if not all of the fourth quarter.

Breanna Stewart had a team-high 24 points to go with six rebounds and three assists.

Stewart, who’s shooting a career-low from deep this season, has now made at least one 3-point in each of the last six games — her longest such streak since her 2023 MVP campaign. 

Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu had 11 points, five rebounds and 11 assists with zero turnovers. 

Rebekah Gardner and Emma Meesseman contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively, off the bench. 

It seems like the Liberty, winners of three straight, have all the right momentum heading into the playoffs. 

“[Winning] always helps,” coach Sandy Brondello said. “You have confidence through winning but it’s all about the process… Have we gotten better? Yeah, I think we have. We have our full group together and we kind of know what works, what we need to work on as we move forward… We have to go in there believing we can steal a game in Phoenix.”

The Liberty got a better look at their jumbo lineup, featuring Ionescu, Leonie Fiebich, Stewart, Meesseman and Jonquel Jones late in the second quarter. 

Brondello said that lineup was “successful,” and Stewart said it worked better this time as opposed to a previous attempt because they were more cognizant of allowing each other space to operate. 

“We tried it early on, it seemed like we were on top of each other but now letting one action develop on one side and then moving into the second side,” Stewart said. “I think that just kind of continuing that chemistry and knowing what the playbook is going to be for that group because it’s different than when we have three guards on the court at the same time.”

Chicago, under first-year head coach Tyler Marsh, went 10-34 this season and has lots to address this offseason.

Angel Reese’s future perhaps being the most pertinent one. 

Meanwhile, the Liberty finished 27-17 and in fifth place. 

The Liberty head to Phoenix next to play the fourth-seeded Mercury in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series Sunday.