At 32-7, the Liberty are guaranteed the league's best record, something coach Sandy Brondello called a goal this season after they lost in the WNBA Finals last season to No. 1 Las Vegas as the No. 2 seeds.

Published a year ago on Sep 19th 2024, 10:00 pm
By Web Desk

The New York Liberty clinched the top seed in the WNBA playoffs with an 87-71 victory at Washington on Tuesday night.
At 32-7, the Liberty are guaranteed the league's best record with one game to go.
This marks the second time the Liberty, an original WNBA franchise dating to 1997, will have the best record in a season. The other came in 2015, when the WNBA played a 34-game schedule and New York was 23-11.
Minnesota, which defeated Connecticut 78-76 on Tuesday, moved to 30-9 and will be the No. 2 seed. Connecticut is 27-12 and currently in third place. Las Vegas, 26-13 after winning at Seattle, is in fourth.
Coach Sandy Brondello said it was one of the Liberty's goals to get the No. 1 seed. Last year, New York was the No. 2 seed and lost in the WNBA Finals to top-seeded Las Vegas.
After losing 88-79 at home to Minnesota on Sunday, Brondello said she wanted her team to be angry at how it played and it responded.
"We started talking about it after Minnesota ... they were playing playoff basketball and we weren't," Brondello said. "So we have to learn from that. We put the emphasis tonight on, 'OK, it's playoff basketball now.'
"These games are very meaningful; it was clinching the No. 1. [In the playoffs] it goes to another level. That's our focus, just that mentality. The extra physicality, we have to play better. Also continue to trust what's got us here and make sure we're playing in the right way."
Breanna Stewart led New York with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Liberty don't know who they will face in the first round of the playoffs, which begin Sunday. Atlanta holds the eighth and final playoff spot after its 86-70 victory over injury-riddled Chicago on Tuesday.
Atlanta is 14-25, while Washington and Chicago are 13-26. That means the last playoff team won't be decided until the final night of the regular season Thursday, when all 12 teams play. Atlanta will face New York, Washington will play Indiana and Chicago will meet Connecticut.
Indiana already has secured the No. 6 seed and Phoenix the No. 7 seed.
At 32-7, the Liberty are guaranteed the league's best record with one game to go.
This marks the second time the Liberty, an original WNBA franchise dating to 1997, will have the best record in a season. The other came in 2015, when the WNBA played a 34-game schedule and New York was 23-11.
Minnesota, which defeated Connecticut 78-76 on Tuesday, moved to 30-9 and will be the No. 2 seed. Connecticut is 27-12 and currently in third place. Las Vegas, 26-13 after winning at Seattle, is in fourth.
Coach Sandy Brondello said it was one of the Liberty's goals to get the No. 1 seed. Last year, New York was the No. 2 seed and lost in the WNBA Finals to top-seeded Las Vegas.
After losing 88-79 at home to Minnesota on Sunday, Brondello said she wanted her team to be angry at how it played and it responded.
"We started talking about it after Minnesota ... they were playing playoff basketball and we weren't," Brondello said. "So we have to learn from that. We put the emphasis tonight on, 'OK, it's playoff basketball now.'
"These games are very meaningful; it was clinching the No. 1. [In the playoffs] it goes to another level. That's our focus, just that mentality. The extra physicality, we have to play better. Also continue to trust what's got us here and make sure we're playing in the right way."
Breanna Stewart led New York with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Liberty don't know who they will face in the first round of the playoffs, which begin Sunday. Atlanta holds the eighth and final playoff spot after its 86-70 victory over injury-riddled Chicago on Tuesday.
Atlanta is 14-25, while Washington and Chicago are 13-26. That means the last playoff team won't be decided until the final night of the regular season Thursday, when all 12 teams play. Atlanta will face New York, Washington will play Indiana and Chicago will meet Connecticut.
Indiana already has secured the No. 6 seed and Phoenix the No. 7 seed.
First ODI: Sidra Ameen’s ton helps Pakistan women set South Africa 256-run target
- 10 hours ago

Microsoft avoids EU fine after Slack complained about Teams bundling
- 3 hours ago

The Supreme Court is about to decide one of the biggest economic policy cases ever
- an hour ago
Asia Cup T20: Bangladesh defeat Afghanistan by 8 runs
- 8 hours ago

Nintendo Direct September 2025: all the news and trailers
- 3 hours ago
.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Twelve killed in Malaysia landslides after week-long downpour
- 8 hours ago

Wrestlepalooza 2025: Date, time, channel, card, how to watch
- 2 hours ago

Roku wants you to see a lot more AI-generated ads
- 3 hours ago

Why free speech can be so contentious
- an hour ago

You can now play Silksong on flagship Android phones — and pick up where you left off on PC
- 3 hours ago

Sierra CEO Bret Taylor on why the AI bubble feels like the dotcom boom
- 3 hours ago

Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts add more AI to the NFL
- 3 hours ago
You May Like
Trending