Liberty look to build momentum in clash vs. Sky

The New York Liberty have won four straight games on five occasions this season.

The Liberty look to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games on Friday when they host the Chicago Sky.

New York (22-6) is on its latest streak after impressively rolling to a 99-61 victory over the visiting Las Vegas Aces on Sunday. The Liberty led by as many 42 points at one point en route to exacting revenge against a team that defeated them by 17 points on June 29.

Sabrina Ionescu scored 31 points for New York, which shot 50 percent from the floor and tied a season by hitting 17 3s for the third time this year.

"I think the statement that we made is we're a team that plays hard," said Breanna Stewart, who scored 18 of her 23 points in the second half. "Especially when we're locked in and all on the same page defensively and offensively, it's hard to stop."

The Liberty have won eight of their last nine games. Their last loss was a five-point setback to the Minnesota Lynx on July 28 that stopped a four-game winning streak. The Liberty also saw other four-game winning streaks stopped with a 10-point loss to Dallas on July 19, the setback in Las Vegas and a four-point loss to Chicago on June 4.

Chicago (12-16) split a home-and-home series with the Liberty in early June and is 5-7 since Emre Vatansever took over as interim coach and general manager for James Wade. The Sky won three straight games by scoring 104 in each contest before dropping an 88-79 decision to the Lynx on Tuesday.

Kahleah Copper scored 23 points in her second straight game. Elizabeth Williams added 18 but Chicago shot 42.1 percent after making 52.1 percent from the field during its three-game run.

"I really want to make it to the playoffs," Copper said. "I want to win. Once you get a taste of winning, winning a championship and being a winner, that's the feeling you chase. In order for us to even scratch the surface, I have to be that for us."