The sputtering New York Liberty — now losers of three of their last five games — are desperately looking to get back on track. On Friday, their path takes them to Arizona, where they’ll face the scorching Phoenix Mercury for the second time this season.
The defending champions dropped the previous meeting 89-81, and suffered their first loss at home as a result. Will they be able to return the favor as the sun goes down on the desert?
How to watch New York Liberty at Phoenix Mercury
- Venue: PHX Arena — Phoenix
- Time: 10 p.m. ET, Friday
- TV: ION, WNBA League Pass
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
- Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.
The Liberty have looked anything but dominant following their 9-0 start, earning only narrow victories over the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries in the midst of lopsided losses to the Indiana Fever, Mercury and Seattle Storm. Health is suddenly a significant concern, as 2024 WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones is slated to miss up to six weeks after aggravating an ankle injury.
New York is deep, but there’s no replacing Jones. At 6 feet 6 inches, the 31-year-old is among the league’s most imposing forces you’ll find around the rim. Jones is also shooting nearly 44 percent from 3-point range on the year, so the Liberty can’t space the floor nearly as well when she’s sidelined. The team has connected on just over 30.4 percent of their 3-point attempts since Jones first sustained the injury on June 5.
Phoenix, on the heels of Diana Taurasi’s retirement and Brittney Griner’s departure, has entered a new era with Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas serving as franchise faces. The duo is 9-1 when they share the floor, and they complement each other’s games exceptionally well.
Sabally, a score-first wing with a knack for pounding the glass, has been content to share the rock with Thomas, a physical point forward and perennial triple-double threat. Both players excel at drawing contact and getting to the charity stripe, too: Sabally ranks third league-wide with 81 made free throws, while Thomas lands inside the top 20 in attempts per game.
There’s also the ever-hustling Kahleah Copper, who ranked third in scoring with 21.1 points per game in 2024. She’s only just returned after undergoing knee surgery in May, and although she’s been on a minutes restriction, she hasn’t missed a beat.
A loss would send the Liberty down to third in the league standings and bring the Mercury even closer to overtaking the Minnesota Lynx for the top spot. Even with a Phoenix victory, though, New York could still have a shot at the tiebreaker: These teams will meet two more times in 2025, including a late-season showdown at PHX Arena on Aug. 30.
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