New York Liberty in the hope of the top four finish when stars return of injuries
The New York Liberty are finally getting healthy and are hoping to make a run for a top four seed in the playoffs, securing homecourt advantage for the first round. The team has been plagued by injuries this season, with stars Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart both missing extended periods of time. However, with the return of Stewart after a 13-game absence due to a knee injury, the Liberty are almost at full strength as they head into the final stretch of the season.
When Stewart, Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu have all been healthy and played together this season, the Liberty have been unstoppable, boasting a perfect 10-0 record. However, when one or more of them have been sidelined, the team has struggled, with a record of 13-15 in their absence. Ionescu commented on the team’s potential, stating, “When we are at full strength, we are a really difficult team to beat.”
As the Liberty fight for seeding in the late season, they are currently in a battle with Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Phoenix for seeds 2-5. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx are aiming to secure the top seed and homecourt advantage in the playoffs, with MVP candidate Napheesa Collier recently returning from an ankle injury.
In the race for the final playoff spots, teams like Seattle, Indiana, Golden State, Los Angeles, and Washington are all within four games of each other, vying for the last three positions. The Indiana Fever, however, are still struggling with injuries, with key players like Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham sidelined.
In the latest Power Poll rankings, Minnesota remains at the top, with Las Vegas climbing to second place on an 11-game winning streak. Atlanta dropped to third, followed by Phoenix, New York, and Seattle. Golden State and Los Angeles round out the top eight, with Indiana, Connecticut, Washington, Chicago, and Dallas completing the poll.
In other news, the Portland Fire announced the hiring of Vanja Cernivec as the general manager of the WNBA expansion franchise. Cernivec, who previously worked with the Golden State Valkyries, helped build the team into a playoff contender in their inaugural season.
A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces was named the AP Player of the Week for the third consecutive week, averaging impressive stats to lead her team to victory. The game of the week will feature the Aces taking on the Atlanta Dream in a crucial matchup for playoff seeding.
As the regular season winds down, the race for playoff positioning is heating up, with teams battling for every win to secure their spot in the postseason. Stay tuned to see how it all unfolds in the exciting world of WNBA basketball.
