The spell of misfortune doesn’t seem to end for the New York Liberty. In a 17-7 season record that does spell confidence, the recent past has been anything but that. For starters, Jonquel Jones—whose presence in the lineup alone contributed to a 10-1 (of 17-6) record before the Los Angeles Sparks clash—was sidelined initially in June due to an ankle injury. And just when it looked like the Liberty were finally about to play with their full roster for the first time in nearly two months, Nyara Sabally was ruled out for knee discomfort ahead of the Fever clash. That’s not the end of the list, though…

While only Jones returned to the lineup during the team’s latest 99-101 loss to the Sparks (with Sabally missing her third straight game), forward Leonie Fiebich had to play 31 minutes despite an injury. To add to the misery, Breanna Stewart barely got four playing minutes before she had to limp off with three points and a rebound, disappearing into the tunnel. Sabrina Ionescu still lit up the floor with 30, but even that couldn’t salvage the night—especially since her best shot of the night, a three with 3:10 left in the third quarter, didn’t even count. The officials wiped it away for a Jonquel Jones illegal screen, leading an agitated Ionescu to yell, “Tech me up!” at the refs, who obliged. But the hits still kept coming for New York.

Kennedy Burke, who checked in for Breanna Stewart, didn’t last long either. She soon headed to the locker room with cramps and logged a DNP in the second half. Clearly, the team seems to be going through a rough patch. How long will it last? Let’s hear it from head coach Sandy Brondello herself.

During a post-game media interaction, Brondello seemed pretty optimistic while giving updates about her injured players: “[Leo] hurt her hand in that last game. She’s tough, she’s resilient.” For Kennedy Burke she then said, “Hopefully, she’ll be okay, too.” And for those waiting on a Stewie update? Join the club, including Brondello herself.

“No update,” the coach admitted. “Haven’t heard. Hopefully she’ll be okay.” It feels like the basketball gods are testing New York hard. However, the Liberty will surely catch up soon. After all, despite it all, they are still second-best in the league behind Minnesota’s Lynx’s 22–4. Even in their recent stumble against the Sparks, the loss was more about bodies dropping than ability. Before that, they had racked up five straight wins, knocking off the Mercury, Fever (twice), Dream, and Aces.

Notably, Brondello’s team has only fallen to a handful of teams lately (the Storm, Sparks, Dream, and Mercury). Look closer, and the backbone is still there. Sabrina Ionescu is pouring in clutch buckets, the offense is averaging nearly 87.9 points per game, and their 12–3 home record shows Barclays remains a fortress.

The schedule hasn’t done them favors, and neither have the injuries, but this isn’t a slide. It’s a pause. They could turn into a title threat soon, especially with Sabrina Ionescu on board.

New York Still Has Stars

Even with the roster in flux, Sabrina Ionescu is the Liberty’s heartbeat. Before their loss to the Sparks, she dropped 29 huge points. Meanwhile, Jonquel Jones dominated with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double in New York’s 89-76 victory over Phoenix. It marked their fifth consecutive win. Mere hours later, Ionescu almost willed a short-handed Liberty squad to another triumph.

With Barclays Center electrified and neon promotional shirts lighting up the crowd, Ionescu erupted for 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals vs Los Angeles. She created a historic stat line previously achieved only by Caitlin Clark, Candace Parker, and Brandy Reed in WNBA history.

“I’m just trying to play my game and read what the defense gives me,” Ionescu said postgame. “Obviously, we were missing players who normally score big for us, so I focused on creating easy opportunities. Finding midrange looks, attacking the rim, drawing fouls, and doing what I always do to help us win.”

After torching LA for 17 first-half points, Ionescu cooled briefly in the third and early fourth quarters before catching fire once again late. She converted a crucial score with just two minutes remaining. She even nailed two clutch jumpers in the final stretch. Alongside Natasha Cloud’s 22-point effort, Ionescu proved that the Liberty can still pack a serious punch. Even as they wait for their full squad to return.