The New York Liberty’s five-game winning streak came to an unexpected halt at the hands of the Los Angeles Sparks. A team known more for its defensive struggles than statement wins, with a 107.5 defensive rating to show for it. But would the outcome have been the same if Breanna Stewart hadn’t gone down early in the first half with an untimely injury? Guess we will never know. However, with the Liberty now heading into a high-stakes road trip with five of their next six games on the road, speculation is swirling. When will their superstar return?

It all unfolded midway through the first quarter. Breanna Stewart had only been on the floor for about three minutes when she appeared to tweak her leg while running back on defense. There was no contact with any player. The Liberty immediately called a timeout, and Stewart exited the court alongside trainer Terri Acosta. “No update, hopefully she’ll be OK,” said coach Brondello after her Liberty squad fell to the red-hot Sparks, who’ve now won five straight as their season gains momentum. Fortunately for Stewart and the Liberty, early signs suggest she may have avoided a serious injury.

According to reporter Madeline Kenney, Breanna Stewart avoided any significant injury after undergoing scans on her right leg and will travel with the team for their four-game road trip. A massive relief for the Liberty. After all, since arriving in New York in 2023, Stewie has missed only two games and has been the picture of durability for the team. However, the report also mentions that she’ll be given time to fully recover, meaning she might not feature in the upcoming matchup against Dallas.

That’s going to be a huge blow for the Liberty. Stewie is putting up 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game this season. Yet, it’s for the best that the team adopts a cautious approach. Stewart had surgery on her right meniscus in the offseason and has a history of significant injuries to both Achilles tendons.

Also, the defending champs have faced a string of setbacks this season, with injuries and player absences taking a toll. Jonquel Jones, in particular, has been restricted to just 11 games due to recurring ankle issues. Meanwhile, Leonie Fiebich was away for nearly a month competing in EuroBasket with Germany, and Nyara Sabally has been dealing with a lingering knee injury. Despite all that, the defending champions sit comfortably in second place with a 17-7 record.

Is the WNBA schedule to blame for Breanna Stewart’s injury?

The Liberty’s game against the Sparks came on the second night of a back-to-back, following their win over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday. In that game, Stewart logged 31 minutes but managed just 6 points, her season low. The fatigue was beginning to show. “I don’t want to give an excuse of being fatigued because we did have two days off,” Stewart said Friday. “I just gotta get my legs back underneath me. I don’t know how I do that with a back-to-back tomorrow, but I’ll figure it out.”

You can’t help but wonder if the grueling schedule played a part in the 2x MVP’s injury. It was clear she was fatigued, yet had no choice but to suit up the very next night. Sure, some might argue that the bench could’ve been used,  but let’s be honest, replacing someone like Stewie with limited roster depth was always going to be a tough ask.

Do you think rule implementations on scheduling and roster should be done going forward to help the athletes going forward? What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments down below!