New York Liberty Vs Los Angeles Sparks: Injury Report, Starting-5, Prediction, and More On Tonight’s WNBA Preview

The Angels from Los Angeles are looking to turn the sky purple tonight as they collide with the league’s No. 2 powerhouse, the New York Liberty. It’s a high-stakes showdown and not just because the Sparks are chasing redemption after that road loss to the Liberty. The margin for error is razor-thin in the league’s standings right now.

Although they are safe from falling below the struggling Chicago Sky, a win could help them move past the Washington Mystics and out of the bottom four entirely. For Leonie Fiebich, on the other hand, the stakes feel personal. Drafted by the Sparks back in 2020, she’s now donning Liberty green. Let’s see which squad has the higher chances of taking it home tonight…

Where To Watch the High-Stakes: New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks

• Date: Saturday, 26th July
• Time: 7:00 PM ET (Eastern Time)
• Venue: Barclays Center, New York

For the folks wishing to watch it on cable services, you can choose ION, MNMT, or NBA TV, with Pat Boylan (play-by-play) and Debbie Antonelli (analysis). For viewers who are willing to opt for streaming services, you can watch it using the WNBA League Pass, Amazon Prime US, Fubo, SlingTV, and YouTube TV.

The Injury Report

New York Liberty:

• Nyara Sabally: Out (Knee)
• Emma Meesseman: Out (Overseas)

The New York Liberty were hoping to have a full roster for the first time in nearly two months. As Jonquel Jones returned from an ankle injury that had kept her out since June 19. However, ahead of their Tuesday matchup against the Indiana Fever, the team announced that Nyara Sabally would be sidelined. Sabally has not played since and remains out for tonight’s game.

Additionally, the Liberty signed free agent Emma Meesseman to their roster. The 2019 Finals MVP has not yet joined the team, as she is still awaiting work visa approval. While there is no official confirmation on her arrival date, recent reports suggest she could join the Liberty as early as August 1.

Los Angeles Sparks:

• Cameron Brink: Out (Knee)

Cameron Brink is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Liberty, as reported by Edwin Garcia of SB Nation. She has been out since the time she suffered a torn ACL during a game against the Connecticut Sun in June 2024.

Predicted Starting Lineup

New York Liberty:

• Breanna Stewart: 32.8 MIN, 19.6 PTS, 6.7 REB, 4.0 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.4 BLK
• Leonie Fiebich: 27.1 MIN, 7.4 PTS, 4.1 REB, 1.1 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.5 BLK
• Jonquel Jones: 22.9 MIN, 12.7 PTS, 9.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 0.5 STL, 1.1 BLK
• Natasha Cloud: 28.3 MIN, 9.9 PTS, 3.6 REB, 5.9 AST, 1.4 STL, 0.3 BLK
• Sabrina Ionescu: 31.0 MIN, 18.4 PTS, 4.4 REB, 5.7 AST, 1.4 STL, 0.5 BLK

Los Angeles Sparks:

• Dearica Hamby: 32.2 MIN, 17.6 PTS, 7.9 REB, 3.6 AST, 1.8 STL, 0.5 BLK
• Azura Stevens: 28.9 MIN, 14.8 PTS, 8.5 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.3 BLK
• Rickea Jackson: 30.1 MIN, 13.1 PTS, 3.0 REB, 2.1 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.5 BLK
• Kelsey Plum: 35.1 MIN, 20.1 PTS, 3.1 REB, 5.8 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.1 BLK
• Julie Allemand: 23.9 MIN, 4.8 PTS, 3.3 REB, 3.9 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.0 BLK

How the New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks Might Go Down…

New York enters as overwhelming 83.1% favorites, as per ESPN. This projection makes perfect sense if you look at the teams’ trajectories. The Liberty boasts the league’s second-best record at 17-6 and currently rides a five-game winning wave. While the Sparks (despite their own four-game surge) still face an uphill battle with their 10-14 standing and porous defense that surrenders 86.8 points per contest.

New York’s dominance stems from complete two-way execution. Breanna Stewart powers the offense (19.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg) while Sabrina Ionescu orchestrates the attack (5.7 apg). Moreover, Jonquel Jones provides interior stability. Their 87.4-point offensive output combined with sub-80-point defensive stinginess creates a gap that Los Angeles must immediately address. The Sparks could counter with Kelsey Plum’s dynamic scoring (20.1 ppg, 5.8 apg), Azura Stevens’ rebounding presence (8.5 rpg), and Dearica Hamby’s reliable offense.

While L.A.’s recent 101-point explosion against Connecticut shows their potential, replicating that firepower against New York’s disciplined defense could be a big challenge. This matchup will tell whether the Sparks can leverage their current momentum to stay competitive early, but unless Plum’s teammates can solve New York’s interior defense, the Liberty’s superior depth and balanced execution should ultimately prevail at their home court.