Can freedom repeat? What statistics say about the Pley-of VNBA

The New York Liberty He took off court in the center of Barclays with another victory. Their victory of 19 points made them a ninth team in the history of VNBA to start the 9-0 season and extended the best start of New York in the history of the franchise.

It was 10. June, and it seemed to defend her to defend her that Vantba Champion of Freedom could be better than last year, when they were broken to win the first franchise title.

But three months later, New York must hit the road for the first round of the VNBA. Only the top of the four seeds get the advantage of the domestic court in the Best of Three Open category, and Freedom finished the fifth. New York, who left 8-7 to close the regular season, trails Minnesota Link and Las Vegas Aces in odds At ESPN to win the Championship in 2025. years.

Repetition is always difficult: After Houston Comets won the first four leagues ,, only 2001-2002 Los Angeles Sparks And Las Vegas 2022-2023, the Aces won VNBA VNA crowns.

However, the relegation from top seeds and finishes 27-17 is far from what freedom expected. What went wrong during the regular season and did they fix it on time for the playoffs?

“It was up and down, players inside and out, rusters change,” freedom forward Breanna Stewart said. “All the things you could imagine happened to this team. But we don’t want our race to be easy, we just want it really really, really worth it.

“So, I think we are difficult to accept and show every day ready for any challenge we will have and who we will have with us.”

The injuries were a story for every VNBA team this season. But for freedom, three key starters suffered injuries – postage stewart (knee) and Jonkuel Jones (ankle) and beware Sabrina Ionescu (Neck, toe) – starting in June and continuing until September.

Jones and Stewart each missed 13 games, and Ionescu sat six. They are the stars of the team, the core because of what makes everything at the highest level. Stewart (18.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG) and Jones (13.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG) have passed MVPS; Ionescu (18.2 PPG, 5.7 APG, 4.9 RPG) was appointed three-VNBA Second Tim company three times.

In the game, the trio started this season, freedom was 12-2, including a victory of 91-86 on Thursday in Chicago in his regular season. When all three were on the field, freedom was at the best of order. But that happened significantly less this season than the last.

In 2024, Stewart, Jones and Ionescu played in 805 minutes together and had a net rating plus-12 at 100 owners. This season, their net rating was bigger, in plus-21, but they played only 234 minutes together.

With any two in court, New York’s Net Rating this year was Plus-6. With just one, freedom was coated for 13 points at 464. Minutes. Last year, they played 235 minutes with just one of the stars on the field, but they are still plus-18 in those minutes.

The depth of freedom this year are also affected by different factors: other injuries, missing part of the season for the Eurobasket competition and the absence of players who have not returned from last year.

Guard / forward Batnijah Lanei-Hamilton and the point of guard Courtney VanderslootFor example, they were beginners of Freedom 2024. years. Laney-Hamilton missed this season after he suffered a knee injury as he played in the new worthless 3-3 league in March in March. Vanderloot returned to Chicago during the free agency.

And ahead Kayla ThorntonKey reserve for freedom in 2023. and 2024. year, the golden state was chosen in the draft spread. She was a leading shooter and a reiterate Valkiri before the knee injury for the season immediately after the All-Star game.

But it was also adding. Freedom traded for the guard point Natasha Cloudand beware Marine JohannesWho last played for New York 2023. years, returned. She was the only player who appeared this season in all 44 matches for New York.

And 3. August, freedom has brought a veteran forward Emma MeessemanBelgian language last played in VNBA in 2022 last time. Years. It is average on average 13.4 points and 5.1 jumps in 17 matches with New York.

The addition of Meeseman gave the freedom of three players called VNBA Finals MVP; She made it with Washington 2019. years, Stewart did it in Seattle 2018. and 2020. years, and Jones Jones won last year.

So, was the freedom in the regular season in the regular season or fought for bad weather with injuries, a lack of consistent cohesive and achieve the best effort of each team like to defend the champions?

“Yes, we faced a lot of adversity,” Sandi Brondello coach said. “But there is a lot of games in which we feel like we could have played better.”

Stewart tried to win VNBA VNBA returns when she was with Seattle. But in 2019, he suffered injury to Achilles while playing abroad in the off-season. Then, as part of the defense of storms in 2021. years, the matches were delivered within the previous playoffs in a single elimination of the second-family game at home at Phoenika.

If freedom was in a single and exact situation this year in Phoenik, fans in New York would be very worried. But in a series in three plays, where freedom is guaranteed a domestic game – and have their list of 12 players at the end in action – the team has more confidence in terms of postseason.

“Are we better? I think so,” Brondell said, pointing out the victories in the last three games of the regular season. “We have our full group together, and we know what it does and what we have to do while we move forward.”

Steward believes that freedom struggles showed resistance to the team and the ability to solve problems in those season.

“You must have a certain mental toughness and awareness of what happens and how to fight it”, Stewart said. “We are happy to have all 12 (players) back. Play are a coaster – emotional, physically. The experience is what you are coming back on.”

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton contributed to this story.