BROOKLYN, NY - SEPTEMBER 9: Natasha Cloud #9 and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty high five during the game against the Washington Mystics on September 9, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY - SEPTEMBER 9: Natasha Cloud #9 and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty high five during the game against the Washington Mystics on September 9, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBAE via Getty Images
The goal when your playoff position is locked in is pretty simple. Make it out the game healthy and iron out the fine details. For the New York Liberty, they haven’t been fully healthy since the second game of the season Coming into this game, Head Coach Sandy Brondello has only seen 107 minutes of her Opening Day starting lineup. Against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night, in New York’s final home game of the regular season, the injury report was bare. Full health.
“It’s a great, great day to be a Liberty fan…and coach,” said Brondello before the game. At practice on Monday, Brondello mentioned that the next two games would be important to see possible rotations and what can work depending on the matchup. Sandy tends to keep a tight playoff rotation, and for the first three quarters of tonight’s game, we might have gotten a sneak peek as to what the rotation will look like starting this Sunday evening.
Until garbage time, the Liberty went with an eight-man rotation, starting with Cloud-Ionescu-Fiebich-Stewart-Jones and bringing Kennedy Burke, Emma Meesseman, and Rebekah Gardner off the bench. Noticeably, Marine Johannès was absent.
Explained Brondello: “We think Bek’s been giving us some, obviously good energy minutes recently with her defensive intensity, but also her movement. I mean, she’s always going to cut and try and do the right things, but being aggressive, she has confidence in herself, as we do and her teammates do.”
The standout reserve, though, was undoubtedly Emma Meesseman. She was a frequent screening partner for Sabrina Ionescu up top, but also worked to find openings in Washington’s defense that led to quick-hitting buckets…
Meesseman scored 19 points in just 20 minutes off the bench, so it was an even bigger surprise that that Brondello never turned to the three-big lineup, featuring Meesseman, Stewart, and Jones.
Postgame, the Liberty Head Coach downplayed that decision: “We map rotations out at the start of the game, I did have that planned, but we didn’t think it was the right time. We still had to find some more chemistry with our normal rotations, but it is something that we do want to look at in the next game.”
With one more game to go before the postseason starts, the Liberty have another chance to build chemistry and experiment with various combinations. Breanna Stewart mentioned in postgame that in addition to getting the win, the Liberty are “trying things, practicing things for the playoffs, seeing what works, what doesn’t, and just building that confidence going forward.”
Final score: New York Liberty 75, Washington Mystics 66
Full strength
David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
We haven’t seen the Liberty at full strength since the second game of the season. Now that the group is at full capacity, they are hoping to rely on their time together to guide them through a difficult playoff journey.
“I think having a team that’s been through highs and lows together really helps,” Sabrina Ionescu said at practice on September 8. “This isn’t a super new team and I think that’s why we’ve been able to weather the storm. We all understand the circumstances that we went through this year. I think if we had our full roster and this was the year that we had, we wouldn’t be smiling as much as we are.
It’s sports. Things are gonna happen that are out of your control. It’s part of why when you do win, everything’s just that much sweeter because so many things have to right in order for you to win. And you know, this year I think we’ve just known we’ve been dealing with a lot of players coming in and out for a long period of time, and kind of crucial players to to our team. So many different starting lineups, so many different things that we’ve had to go through. And I think for us, it’s just knowing we were right where we want to be now. And I think it’s just focusing on the now, not worrying about all that stuff that is out of our control, and knowing it’ll make us better in the long run.”
Even amidst all the frustrations of the season, the Liberty have done well to stick together and maintain a sense of togetherness. As the intensity and pressure picks up, they will have to rely on that in order to make history.
Fan protests
For the Liberty’s final home game of the season, the home team put on Fan Appreciation Night. However, with season-ticket price increases looming, not every fan felt incredibly appreciated. Madeline Kenney of the New York Post reported on a small but organized protest during the game, as a few colorful fans voiced their displeasure with the price increases…
As we’ve written about here at NetsDaily, as the Liberty have found more success, prices have risen alongside it. The Libs are the best show going at Barclays Center and have made it one of the most exciting events in professional sports. It’s a delicate balance to strike and the team has to be incredibly careful not to price out their most loyal and dedicated fans. As we head into 2026 and beyond, we’ll see what the team does to ensure they make the game accessible for everyone.
Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images
Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images
The New York Liberty will close out the 2025 regular season on the road, facing the Chicago Sky on Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.
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