Coins were probably flying into every fountain in New York as fans begged for a positive Breanna Stewart update. The Liberty couldn’t cope with Stewart’s absence the last time she was out, going 5-8 in the 13 games she missed through a right knee injury. This time, it was the left knee as Stewart drove to the baseline with 3:01 minutes left in overtime and landed awkwardly on her knee. Stewart continued stumbling on the court for a minute but asked for a substitution soon after.“She’ll be evaluated soon,” Sandy Brondello promised—and now the MRI has delivered the verdict.

Injuries have not treated the New York Liberty too kindly, especially in their front court. Besides Stewart’s month-long absence, Jonquel Jones missed significant time early in the year with a sprained ankle. Even their point guard, Sabrina Ionescu, was out for a few games late with a toe injury she suffered in practice. Natasha Cloud, Leonie Fiebich, Nyara Sabally, and Kennedy Burke have all missed significant time, too. Stewart’s postseason absence would severely affect Liberty’s hopes of getting back-to-back titles. Fortunately, Brondello had some good news for the Liberty fans. 

Sandy Brondello explained that she is a “game-time decision” for Game 2 against the Phoenix Mercury, but gave relieving news regarding the injury. “Obviously, it’s not a very serious thing. But still, she hurt her knee, and we will see how she feels tomorrow. We will give as much time as she needs.” In addition, Brondello mentioned that her scans came back “relatively clean,” giving some hope for Stewart’s immediate return. Breanna Stewart was present at the Liberty practice today, but did not practice. 

However, the WNBA doesn’t have the best history for such doubtful game-time decisions. Take Caitlin Clark as an example, she was listed as day-to-day for a long time but eventually ruled herself out for the season. While Stewart’s injury is different, the league as a whole is not entirely transparent about the injury situations of its players. Whatever the extent of the injury, Liberty could choose to rest Stewart for one reason: Game 2 is at home, and they have a 17-5 record while playing at the Barclays Center. 

“We have the advantage. We won an away game and we won on their home court. Now the advantage is for us to take care of it. And this, like you said, it is an experienced team. We’ve been here before, and we know what our goal is, and you know, we want to keep playing,” coach Sandy Brondello said after their Game 1 win. As Brondello hinted, it’s a true game‑time call, her minutes hinge on how she feels in warmups.

NewYork Liberty In Good Spirits Despite Breanna Stewart Injury

The New York Liberty have had a topsy-turvy season. They were completely invincible during the 9-0 start, but injuries caught up. They couldn’t keep up and stumbled to a No. 5 seed, which is low for Liberty’s standards. Injuries played a part in their downfall before and could in the postseason, but the team itself in a good mood irrespective of Stewart’s Game 2 return

Sabrina Ionescu said after being asked about their approach for the game, considering Stewart’s injury, “The same like we approached every game this year, nothing new to us to be completely honest and so we’re well equipped. I think the regular season really prepared us for this moment and we got to control the things that we can and go out there and went out our home.”

The New York Liberty does have a like-for-like replacement for Breanna Stewart, as Emma Meesseman will likely replace Stewart in the starting lineup. She averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in the regular season but had a disappointing display in Game 1  against the Mercury. She shot 1-6 from the field for her 2 points, along with 8 rebounds, missing many that she would have usually hit. Her form is a concern, but Meesseman has heavily impacted games before and can bring back her mojo any time. 

Opinion: The Liberty can beat the Mercury without Stewart. The Mercury just don’t have enough firepower surrounding Alyssa Thomas to take on Liberty on the road. Satou Sabally and Monique Akoa Makani dropped stinkers in Game 1, and it’s unlikely they can recover from that. In addition to that, Mercury are searching for their first post-season win since 2021. There is a gap in experience between the two teams, with Liberty being the serial winners. While Stewart’s absence (in case) will add pressure, Liberty is mature enough to see it through. The best chance for Mercury was to steal one at home, but it seems their fate is to crash out in Round 1. 

What do you think about it? Can the Liberty beat the Mercury without Stewart? Let us know in the comments!