If anyone thought the New York Liberty would take their foot off the gas after winning the Commissioner’s Cup, Breanna Stewart made sure to prove them wrong in just 10 minutes. In Liberty’s latest matchup against the Minnesota Lynx, the 6-foot-4 forward went for a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor to score 16 points by the time the first quarter was over, and that was the beginning of a 30+ point performance.

Stewart finished the night with her season-high 36 points, which is also her highest scoring output since September 15, 2024. Even more impressive is that the veteran now has the third-most thirty-point games in WNBA history, joining A’ja Wilson (43) and Diana Taurasi (54) in the top three.

It wasn’t just the scoring that impressed. Besides finishing with 14 of 19 field goals, Breanna Stewart also notched 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 36 minutes.

Stewart’s all-around performance barely gave the Lynx a chance to settle into the game. To their credit, Minnesota managed to hang around. After trailing by as many as 12 in the first quarter, the Lynx briefly grabbed a 40-39 lead midway through the second as Olivia Miles converted a pair of free throws.

However, Minnesota couldn’t build on that narrow lead. The Liberty went on a 13-2 run to close the first half and put the odds back in their favor with 59-49 before Stewart completely shut the door in the third with another 11 points.

When the final buzzer finally went off, the Liberty walked away with their 13th win (99-86) of the season. Yet the best part about this game was their team chemistry. Besides Breanna Stewart, four other players finished the game in double digits.

Sabrina Ionescu chipped in with 17 points and 6 assists, Jonquel Jones added another double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, Rookie Pauline Astier scored 14 points, and Leonie Fiebich contributed 13.

This wasn’t just another win, considering the Lynx currently sit at the top of the WNBA standings. It was a reminder of why they are highly regarded as championship contenders this season.

What’s next for Breanna Stewart and the Liberty?

With this win in their bag, the Liberty now sit at the top of the Eastern Conference, with the Commissioner’s Cup win finally giving them momentum in the WNBA. Ahead of that, the Liberty had been on a roller-coaster ride that saw them pile up eight losses.

One of their biggest problems has been the tendency to play up or down to the level of their competition. Take their loss against the Seattle Storm on June 25 as an example. ESPN Analytics gave them a 77.6% chance to win, but it ended up being their seventh loss of the season.

Now, things are looking up as Sabrina Ionescu is finally back in action after missing a significant chunk of the season due to foot and back injuries. So with her, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Marina Johannes, New York is beginning to look like a playoff-caliber team.

However, they’ll still have to prove that this resurgence powered by Brenna Stewart isn’t just momentary against the Dallas Wings on July 7. Then they face the Lynx again in a rematch on July 10 and take on the Toronto Tempo in a quick turnaround on July 12.

These three games should offer fans a much clearer picture of where the Liberty stands. If Stewart keeps producing performances like the one she delivered against Minnesota, New York could be well on its way to the playoffs.