The New York Liberty may have the most to gain and lose during the final week of the WNBA season. New York returns with a 24-16 record, tied with Washington and Dallas. The Liberty currently occupy the No. 6 seed because of the league’s tiebreaker procedures.
Their position is far from secure.
New York begins its final stretch Friday at Minnesota. The Liberty then visit eliminated Toronto before returning home for consecutive games against Atlanta.
Three of New York’s four remaining games are against top-four teams.
Washington plays three eliminated opponents during the same stretch. Dallas will not face another playoff team.
That difference gives the Liberty little room for error.
Stewart returns after World Cup MVP performance
Breanna Stewart will rejoin New York after leading Team USA to another World Cup championship. Stewart scored 22 points and collected nine rebounds in the United States’ 97-79 victory over France in the championship game. She was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Her performance was encouraging for a Liberty team that will need its captain at her best immediately. New York’s first game back comes against the WNBA’s top team. Minnesota also has plenty at stake because it needs two victories to secure the No. 1 seed.
The Liberty have been much better at Barclays Center than away from it. New York is 14-6 at home but only 10-10 on the road. Both games against Minnesota and Toronto will be played away from home.
Stewart’s turnaround also is unusually tight. Team USA completed the World Cup on Sunday, leaving only a few days to travel, recover and prepare for Minnesota.
New York conducted informal practices and individual development work during the break with the players who remained behind. The returning international players will have to reintegrate quickly.
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Atlanta doubleheader creates enormous opportunity
New York’s final two games against Atlanta could determine multiple seeds. The Dream currently are fourth at 26-14. If the Liberty win both meetings, they could move ahead of Atlanta depending on the other results.
Two losses could send New York to the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with Minnesota. The stakes make those games feel like a miniature playoff series.
New York still has a championship-caliber core featuring Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Satou Sabally. The Liberty’s current seed says more about an uneven regular season than a shortage of talent. That roster also makes New York the opponent every top seed will want to avoid.
The Liberty can improve their path by surviving the league’s toughest final schedule. They also must monitor the tiebreaker involving Washington and Dallas.
Head-to-head record is the league’s first tiebreaker. If a three-team tie cannot be settled there, winning percentage against teams finishing .500 or better becomes the next deciding factor. New York has four games to avoid leaving that decision to a formula.
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