Kendra AndrewsSep 3, 2025, 01:54 AM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- The New York Liberty officially clinched a spot in the postseason Tuesday night, but it didn't happen how they wanted it to. It wasn't by their own doing, but rather from an assist from the Phoenix Mercury.
The Liberty fell to the Golden State Valkyries 66-58 but still earned a playoff berth because the Indiana Fever lost to the Mercury earlier Tuesday.
"We just lost the game. Yeah, we're in the playoffs, but we still lost the game," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said.
New York missed its first three opportunities to clinch a playoff spot, by losing their games and because other game results didn't go their way. But entering Tuesday's game against Golden State, the team wasn't focused on those implications.
The Liberty have lost four of their past six games and overall have had an underwhelming season as they look to defend their 2024 title. They have just three games remaining in the regular season and are still trying to get healthy, build chemistry and put together complete basketball games.
Against the Valkyries, all of those were lacking.
"This has been disappointing, collectively," Breanna Stewart said. "Yeah, there can be bright spots or whatever, but we have three games left and we're not where we need to be. It's frustrating, it's tough."
After building a four-point lead by the end of the first quarter, the Liberty were outscored 26-8 in the second, when they committed five turnovers and shot just 16.7% from 3-point range. They trailed by 12 at halftime.
The Liberty entered Tuesday with the league's best 3-point defense. But on Tuesday, they allowed the Valkyries to find their offensive rhythm when Kate Martin hit the team's first three 3-point attempts in the second quarter.
Stewart said it was a microcosm of their entire season.
"It's the story of our season right now," Stewart said. "When we have to take the ball out of the net, we struggle. We gave up 26 points and our spacing was a little bad. And I thought sometimes we had good looks and we just missed, but to put ourselves in a hole like that, it's like ..."
Sabrina Ionescu missed her third consecutive game with a left big toe injury, and Nyara Sabally also was sidelined. The Liberty have had their full roster for only two games this season -- the first and second games -- and have used 16 starting lineups.
"We haven't lived up to our expectations, and yes, obviously, injuries have been a part of that," Brondello said before the game. "We've played so many different rotations, and as a team we're not always cohesive because of the lack of time together, but that's not an excuse."
She continued: "I am confident in us, especially when we get Sabrina back. I feel good about this team, but we need to win now."
