Liberty experience scorching streak into matchup with second-place Valkyries

It might have gone under the radar while other teams kept winning, but the New York Liberty rediscovered their form over the past five weeks.

After a satisfying victory over the Indiana Fever, the Liberty will aim to keep playing their best basketball when they welcome the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday.

New York was just 13-12 on the morning of July 20, far from a lock for the postseason due in part to early-season injuries. Since then, the Liberty have gone 10-3, with only the Minnesota Lynx and Washington Mystics winning more games in that span.

New York clinched a playoff spot while idle on Sunday when the Portland Fire lost.

“We know this team has been through a lot. But we have a lot of fight left in us,” Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said, per The Athletic. “… We just want to continue to make it feel good and be firing on all cylinders defensively and have that impact (on) offense.”

The Liberty (23-15) kept up with Indiana’s league-leading offense and shot 57.8% overall while sinking 11 3-pointers in a 109-102 home win on Saturday. A free-throw discrepancy once again made the difference: New York went 24-for-29 at the line to Indiana’s woeful 11-for-22, reminiscent of the Liberty’s June 6 win over the Fever in which New York enjoyed a 33-9 advantage in made free throws.

Stewart racked up 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on Saturday. Leonie Fiebich scored 20, and Jonquel Jones collected 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Fiebich returned from a lengthy absence caused by a foot injury, joining New York’s preferred starting five alongside Stewart, Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and rookie guard Pauline Astier.

Given their current form and health, the Liberty could improve their playoff seed over the final stretch of the season. They enter Thursday tied for sixth place but just four games behind second-place Golden State (27-11).

The Valkyries will conclude a back-to-back after they steamrolled the Connecticut Sun 89-64 on Wednesday in Uncasville, Conn.

Golden State’s bench outpaced the starters in the latest win, the team’s eighth in the past 10 outings. Reserves Janelle Salaun, Kaila Charles and Kaitlyn Chen scored 15, 14 and 10 points, respectively, as the Valkyries set a franchise record with 54 bench points.

“I think we know each other pretty well, and I think it’s something that that’s our strength,” Salaun said. “We just know how to play together, and we’re selfless players. I think that’s what (is) working for (us).”

–Field Level Media