The New York Liberty smothered the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday night’s home game, moving to 4-0 for the third time in franchise history. After building a 20-point lead by the early second quarter, the rest of the game was a war with boredom featuring semi-successful efforts from the Liberty to maintain their focus.
Like last week’s victory over the Chicago Sky, this gave Sandy Brondello areas to rightfully criticize in the postgame session.
“We still gave up a lot of threes,” she accurately noted, though the WNBA’s newest franchise is leading the league in 3-point attempts so far. Golden State may be at a constant talent deficit, exacerbated when facing the historically great 2025 Liberty, but they showed up to Barclays Center with a rigid gameplan and indefatigable spirit, even after getting welcomed with a sucker punch.
Thus, the Valkyries halved their deficit by midway through third quarter, continuing a pattern for the Liberty. When asked why her team has been struggling out of the locker room to start this season quarters, Brondello said: “I’m not sure. We’re just not bringing the same amount of energy. It’s always tough when you’re up, but that’s no excuse. We just got to be locked in and come out [of halftime] being a little bit more intentional.”
Honestly though, it is an excuse. The sloppy turnovers before New York put the game away in the early fourth quarter were, by definition, avoidable, but the Liberty were up by orders of touchdowns by the first media break...
Breanna Stewart led the charge with 24 efficient points, as the Liberty shot exactly 50% from the floor, and much higher than that early on. But Stewie was not the fan-favorite at Barclays Center on Tuesday night.
In their second home game of the year, the Liberty crowd got a patented Marine Johannès explosion. She shot 6-of-11, all from three, and it only took one make for her to start pulling out one-legged runners from beyond the arc...
Johannès, as her teammates and coaches have asked her to do, hunted opportunities against Golden State. Even when she passed up an open jumper, she perhaps over-corrected and shot the contested look anyway, and it led to her tying her career-high with those six threes.
Said Stewie: “I think for Marine, she was just like, finding her rhythm. And especially at home, you know, she has that confidence, knowing that one falls in, next one goes in.”
The Liberty did not benefit from her aggressiveness as much as the rest of us, though. Johannès, even in a limited role coming off the bench for a WNBA title contender, is still one of the coolest athletes in the world. The Wizard is a perfect nickname for a woman who looks like she should get knocked over by a strong breeze, but takes over games by making shots as she flies out of bounds.
It didn’t matter that Sabrina Ionescu scored just eight points, or that Leonie Fiebich took just four shots, or that Jonquel Jones’ 13/10/5 performance also featured frustrating stretches and a technical foul. The Liberty crowd got what they came for, not to mention other encouraging signs like Natasha Cloud’s ten assists or Rebekah Gardner continuing to be a force off the bench.
Rarely does a game go by without a forceful reminder of what an incredible collection of talent the New York Liberty have assembled.
Final Score: New York Liberty 95, Golden State Valkyries 67
Kayla Thornton returns
And just to think, the always affable Kayla Thornton is no longer on this team. She was selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the expansion draft this past offseason, and luckily, she only had to wait until the fourth game of the season to return to her former home.
They still love KT here...
Thornton’s playing time wavered in last year’s playoffs given the emergence of Leonie Fiebich and offensive talents of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. But in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the team desperately needed Thornton’s strength and chaotic energy. She played 21 minutes in the franchise’s greatest victory of all time, characteristically committing five fouls while recording a steal and a block to push them over the edge.
“We wouldn’t have won without her,” said Breanna Stewart of her ex-teammate. “You know, she was a huge impact on our team last year, and we miss her, but excited to see her kind of step and grow into her own role with the Valkyries.”
Prior to the game, General Manager Jonathan Kolb presented Thornton with her well-earned 2024 championship ring. The crowd gave her a standing ovation...
Said Thornton: “I don’t even want to get emotional again, but, [the fans] are amazing. And I know I’m at a new team, and my Golden State fans are great, too. But New York fans will always, always hold a special place in my heart.”
Kolb also presented former assistant Ohemaa Nyanin with her ring; Nyanin joined Thornton in Golden State this past offseason, as she is now the GM of the Valkyries.
Milestone Watch
Natasha Cloud passed Skylar Diggins for 10th on the WNBA’s all-time assists list, though that battle will likely continue all season
Similarly, Jonquel Jones moved past Brittney Griner for 20th on the WNBA’s all-time rebounds list
Golden State Valkyries v New York Liberty
Injury Report
Nyara Sabally missed her second straight game with a right knee ailment, though the Liberty are simply calling it discomfort. Sandy Brondello doesn’t seem too worried about her backup big’s long-term outlook: “We all know Nyara’s had some knee issues in the past. The knee is fine, we just want to make sure with four games in six days that we don’t overload it.”
Expect her to play later in the week.
Next Up
Golden State Valkyries v New York Liberty
It’s a rematch, and the last time the Valkyries will play at Barclays Center this season. Tip-off for the second game of this mini-set is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday night.