Ailing Liberty take aim at streaking Mercury

The defending champion New York Liberty are on the outside looking in for home-court advantage in the first round of the WNBA playoffs, adding an additional layer to their game at the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday.

The Mercury and Atlanta Dream are both 24-14, tied for third place, and the Liberty (24-15) are one-half game behind both entering the final two weeks of the regular season. The top four teams have the homecourt edge in the first round.

The Mercury have won three in a row and five of six behind MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas, who has seven triple-doubles this season and six in the last 11 games.

The Liberty, who have won their last two games, have more health questions entering the final regular-season meeting with the Mercury, who have won two of the three matchups so far.

"Welcome to the New York Liberty 2025," coach Sandy Brondello said prior to an 89-63 victory over Washington in which leading scorer Sabrina Ionescu, leading rebounder Jonquel Jones and point guard Natasha Cloud did not play.

Ionescu (18.8 points) injured her left toe in practice Wednesday, Jones was ill and Cloud was out with a broken nose.

It was not as if the Liberty were devoid of talent. Breanna Stewart had 12 points and nine rebounds while Emma Meesseman had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists against the Mystics.

Two-time league MVP Stewart played her second game since returning from a 13-game absence because of a bone bruise in her right knee. She has played 21 and 24 minutes since returning while under a minutes-restriction.

The Liberty are 10-0 when Ionescu, Jones and Stewart finish games.

"You've got probably two top-20 players in the world, right?" Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said, referring to Ionescu and Stewart.

Thomas has flirted with triple-doubles in each of the first three meetings. She was one rebound short in the Mercury's 106-91 win June 27 and two assists short in the Liberty's 89-76 win July 25.

"We go as she goes," Mercury guard Kahleah Copper said. "She gets us going. She's literally everything for us."

Copper had 28 points on her 31st birthday in an 83-79 victory over the Chicago Sky on Thursday, when the Mercury set season highs with 17 steals and 11 blocked shots.

"The playoffs are always on our mind," Tibbetts said. "But you kind of want to focus on what's in front of you. I do like how we've been playing here lately. I think we're headed in the right direction. But you can only control what you can control."