The New York Liberty is known for its comeback wins. The team showed great character in most of the games, winning them in the fourth quarter. But that was not the case on Monday, July 28. The Dallas Wings handed them a ‘reality check’ with a shocking 92-82 win at the College Park Center.
Star guard Sabrina Ionescu called it ‘passive gameplay’ from the team. Jonquel Jones called it a “shameful loss,” but there was more to it. HC Sandy Brondello held the team meeting after the loss. She did not allow any media interactions, highlighting the seriousness of the loss for the 56-year-old coach.
New York Liberty Calls For Emergency Meeting
After a win over the Phoenix Mercury, the defending champions faced back-to-back losses against the lower-ranked side. First, the late game winner by the LA Sparks’ (10th seed) Rickea Jackson rocked Sab and co. Then, a shocking 10-point defeat against the Wings (12th seed) raised some concerns.
An emergency meeting was held to address the issues and work on them. According to the New York Post’s Madeline Kenney, “complacency and slow starts, among other things,” were the coach’s main points of discussion.
The side was 27 points behind at halftime, making it difficult to make a comeback. Even though they tightened their defense in the second half, the Wings secured a 10-point win behind Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale’s play.
After a 9-0 start to the season, injuries and defensive lapses cost them the top position. The side will look to rework its strategies with Breanna Stewart’s absence and recent poor results.
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New York Liberty Is Still The Favorite To Defend The WNBA Title
It took 21 years for the franchise to win back-to-back championships in the ‘W’, when the Las Vegas Aces did it in 2023. A season later, the NY franchise won its first title and put up a strong side to repeat the feat. They were outright favorites to defend the title in 2025 with many impactful players still on their roster.
The front office retained a significant portion of its championship roster, including key players like Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. The addition of Natasha Cloud and Marine Johannes strengthens its backcourt. The side added depth in the frontcourt with championship-experienced Stephanie Talbot and Emma Meesseman.
With all this variety and adaptable talent on the floor, the team has shown great chemistry and cohesiveness, making it a stronger unit to play against. The meeting after the loss highlights their focus on winning the 2025 WNBA title.
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