Clicky

  • Login
  • Register
  • Submit Your Content
  • Contact Us
Sunday, September 22, 2024
World Tribune
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Food
Submit
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Food
No Result
View All Result
World Tribune
No Result
View All Result

Liberty’s WNBA title quest begins with Game 1 battle vs. Dream

September 22, 2024
in Sports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Liberty’s WNBA title quest begins with Game 1 battle vs. Dream
0
SHARES
ShareShareShareShareShare

Liberty’s WNBA title quest begins with Game 1 battle vs. Dream

The Liberty and their all-male practice squad engaged in a feisty and physical scrimmage on the practice court Saturday at Barclays Center in preparation for Sunday’s postseason opener against Atlanta.

“It was a no bulls–t practice, that’s for sure,” All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu said. “It wasn’t a shootaround, we were taped up and going live. The guys were in their playoff scout mode. So it’s exciting, because I know we’re gonna be able to come out ready.”

Coach Sandy Brondello and the Liberty were singularly focused all season on earning the No. 1 seed, especially after falling short in the WNBA Finals one year ago to the Las Vegas Aces.

Sabrina Ionescu said she believes the top-seeded Liberty will come out with intensity in their Game 1 battle vs. the Dream. NBAE via Getty Images

That disappointment kept the Liberty as the only original franchise in the league still searching for its first title.

A 32-8 record ensures Brondello’s star-studded squad home-court advantage throughout the postseason, including the first two in Brooklyn in an always-dangerous best-of-three first-round series against Tina Charles and No. 8 Atlanta.

The Dream finished just 15-25, but they ended the 40-game slate with a win Thursday night at Barclays, albeit with the Liberty resting All-Star forward Breanna Stewart and others in the second half with nothing to play for in the regular-season finale.

“Look, I wasn’t happy with the way that we played. You get comfortable when you’re at the top, and you can’t,” Brondello said. “Anyone can beat anyone, and I’m just trying to emphasize that.

“We go back to last year’s experience, we nearly lost to Washington [in the first round]. It’s about us. It’s home court, but we can quickly lose it if we don’t take care of business. It’s about remembering how it feels. We all have memories and that should be enough, just having a little appropriate fear is good.”

Hence, Saturday’s fierce practice, including the two-way portions against the men, which Brondello described as “going up to a whole different level” of intensity.

Liberty star Breanna Stewart said she is excited to start the chase for the WNBA title. NBAE via Getty Images

“We had a great day to prepare and I’m excited to see the level of intensity we come out and play with [Sunday], because it’s gonna be a lot greater than what we’ve done in the regular season,” Ionescu said. “They’re a team with nothing to lose, and those teams are dangerous.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an 8-seed or a 1-seed, anything can happen. Losing in that last game motivated us and probably was what we needed to understand that every team is going to come in here and give us their best shot.”

Indeed, as Brondello recalled, the Liberty needed overtime in Game 2 to sweep the Mystics in last year’s first round to avoid conceding home-court advantage to Washington for a decisive third game.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said “a little appropriate fear is good” as her team begins its playoff run on Sept. 22, 2024 in Game 1 vs. the Dream. Noah K. Murray / New York Post

“I’m really excited to be at this point, because this is where we start to chase our goal,” said Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion earlier in her career with the Seattle Storm. “The 1-seed definitely was one of our goals. We wanted to make sure that we clinched home court, especially in this league, where you see it, games are so tough, and we want to have our home crowd behind us. We have to win at home, and we don’t want to go to Atlanta for the third one.”

Stewart, the former UConn standout and the 2023 league MVP in her first season in New York, added that she was “excited to come in today and get after it a little bit, just to be ready for what’s to come” in pursuit of the franchise’s elusive first title.

“This is the best time of year, this is why you play, this is what you’re playing for,” Stewart said. “I’m excited to share some new memories with some new teammates, and have everyone remember that feeling of what it’s like to play playoff basketball at Barclays.”

Credit: Source link

READ ALSO

Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Volpe homer as Yankees rout A’s

Sean Manaea’s dominance, clutch hits lead Mets to win over Phillies

ShareTweetSendSharePin
Previous Post

How 5 women lowered their biological age by an average of 5 years

Related Posts

Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Volpe homer as Yankees rout A’s
Sports

Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Volpe homer as Yankees rout A’s

September 22, 2024
Sean Manaea’s dominance, clutch hits lead Mets to win over Phillies
Sports

Sean Manaea’s dominance, clutch hits lead Mets to win over Phillies

September 22, 2024
Austin Wells drawing rave reviews for work behind plate
Sports

Austin Wells drawing rave reviews for work behind plate

September 22, 2024
Mets hope to have injured Francisco Lindor back to face Braves
Sports

Mets hope to have injured Francisco Lindor back to face Braves

September 21, 2024
Steelers laughed at how much Broncos limited Bo Nix’s playbook
Sports

Steelers laughed at how much Broncos limited Bo Nix’s playbook

September 21, 2024
Bournemouth vs. Liverpool odds, picks: Premier League predictions, bets
Sports

Bournemouth vs. Liverpool odds, picks: Premier League predictions, bets

September 21, 2024

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What's New Here!

Zach Wilson makes case for backup job in Broncos’ preseason finale

Zach Wilson makes case for backup job in Broncos’ preseason finale

August 26, 2024
Fact checking Trump: No migrants aren’t eating pets

Fact checking Trump: No migrants aren’t eating pets

September 12, 2024
Microsoft plans September cybersecurity event after CrowdStrike outage

Microsoft plans September cybersecurity event after CrowdStrike outage

August 23, 2024
Brian Daboll confirms he’s taking over Giants’ play-calling duties

Brian Daboll confirms he’s taking over Giants’ play-calling duties

September 3, 2024
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoy double date with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes after US Open outing

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoy double date with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes after US Open outing

September 9, 2024
Deleted posts from Eric and Lara Trump

Deleted posts from Eric and Lara Trump

September 4, 2024
Job market: more cooling may cause bigger unemployment jumps

Job market: more cooling may cause bigger unemployment jumps

August 25, 2024

About

World Tribune is an online news portal that shares the latest news on world, business, health, tech, sports, and related topics.

Follow us

Recent Posts

  • Liberty’s WNBA title quest begins with Game 1 battle vs. Dream
  • How 5 women lowered their biological age by an average of 5 years
  • Hinge CEO Justin McLeod bribed kids with KitKats to get early users
  • Pin up casino ve bahis sitesi Giriş 2023

Newslatter

Loading
  • Submit Your Content
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • DMCA

© 2024 World Tribune - All Rights Reserved!

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Food

© 2024 World Tribune - All Rights Reserved!

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In