When the NY Liberty brought Natasha Cloud in through a trade—giving up the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 draft and a future first-round pick in 2026—it felt like a steep price. But the defending champions knew exactly how crucial she would be in protecting their crown, and ever since, she’s been a natural fit. And, once again, she proved her value with a team-high 23-point performance in Game 1 of the Round 1 series, showing that the Liberty’s chances are stronger with her on the floor. And if you want to know why, here’s Coach Brondello to explain!

When asked about Natasha’s standout performance, coach Sandy Brondello grabbed the mic and gave Cloud the flowers she deserved. “Tasha’s been good for us. We know she has the ability to get downhill. I thought she did a great job of that. But I think where she’s grown this year is just really being steady. And when they’re going under, which every team does, it’s being ready to shoot that three ball. And she’s been shooting the three ball extremely well lately. So it’s a luxury we have,” she expressed.

When the Liberty—a franchise stacked with talent—made the trade, they knew Tasha was “one of the best defenders in the league.” A WNBA Champion and two-time WNBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, she brought an impressive resume. But from day one, she didn’t just defend, she even created plays, helping through the Liberty’s injury-riddled season. And while she did it all with consistency, she didn’t stop just there. Along the way, she began sharpening her most dangerous weapon: the three-pointers.

Every shot Cloud made literally came at a crucial time. Just consider this one, when she took two dribbles and noticed that the defender was far out of reach. So, she pulled up and added a wide-open three to give Liberty a lead. And this OT three-pointer was quite similar to the one she drained in the first quarter. Those were two of the three 3-pointers she made today. But do you know what’s even more interesting?

Her mentality, which she herself shared: “I know who I am in these moments… When these bright lights come on, I’m a f–king dog, and when I say that, I mean that s—.” And right there, she was able to add a game-high 23 points with a season-high nine field goals she made today.

Natasha Cloud even grabbed six rebounds, five assists, and four steals—enough to get a new WNBA playoff record under her name. According to ESPN, she’s the first W player to have 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists on a minimum of 75% shooting in a playoff game since 2016. She’s even the first player to hit those numbers in a postseason game since 2023, the last time she did it. So, you know the Coach’s words weren’t really exaggerated. But…

A revenge against her former team. Yes or no?

Everyone’s quick to label Natasha Cloud’s playoff explosion against Phoenix as revenge. After all, she went through the bitter sting of a trade there. But Cloud already saw them four times in the regular season, averaging 11.3 points and 6 assists across those matchups. She’d made her point long before the postseason. But what made Game 1 different wasn’t payback. It was playing on her own terms.

So when the reporter asked Brondello if Tasha was up for revenge against her former team, she directed him to ask the question from Cloud, but then clarified the reason behind her being explosive, “And I think that was just she knows what she needs to do to come out to help us win. And, you know, she was massive tonight at both ends of the floor. She had to guard Copper down the other end, but she made some really timely shots and she controlled the game for us,” she said.

Cloud was clearly just enjoying the game. After clearing the air with Nate and settling back on good terms, there was no bad blood—only pure competitive spirit. That fire showed especially in her duel with Kahleah Copper in the second quarter, a back-and-forth that had everyone glued to their seats.