The Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty remain atop the WNBA standings. The Sun were a league best 12-1 before hosting the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday while the Liberty were 12-2 heading into Tuesday’s match up with the Phoenix Mercury on the road. The Minnesota Lynx (11-3) and Seattle Storm (9-5), who have each won four WNBA championships in franchise history, were in third and fourth place respectively.
The Las Vegas Aces, the two-time defending league champions, are off to a rough start. They were tied with the Atlanta Dream, both 6-6, when Tuesday’s slate of games tipped off. The Mercury, 7-7, held the fifth spot in the 12-team WNBA standings.
In the first meeting this season between the 2023 finalists, the Liberty prevailed over the Aces 90–82 on Saturday in Las Vegas with LeBron James among the NBA superstars sitting courtside for the nationally televised marquee matchup.
The Liberty were led by veteran Jonquel Jones, who is in her second season with New York after playing six seasons for the Sun, the team that drafted her with the sixth overall pick in 2016 out of George Washington University. The 2021 league MVP posted a career high 34 points versus the Aces. Point guard Sabrina Ionescu registered 15 points and 12 assists, reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.
“We allowed our guards to kind of do their thing and we were ready to space and ready to shoot when the ball came to us,” said Jones. “I understand there are different levels I can attack the game from (Jones scored four 3-pointers) and approach the game from, so that was on my mind, not overthinking, just going out and having fun.”
The win extended the Liberty’s winning streak to eight games. “Having a more experienced group now in this second year, we weren’t frantic when [the Aces] went on their run,” said Ionescu. “Winning three out of four quarters is huge. No matter what run they go on, we continue to stay locked in.”
The Liberty are back at Barclays Center tonight and Saturday with two games against the Los Angeles Sparks. Saturday will be the Liberty’s annual Pride game. New York will take center stage next Tuesday when the UBS Arena on Long Island hosts the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup Championship as the defending champion Liberty take on the Minnesota Lynx.
USA Basketball officially announced the Olympic team last week. They will be guided by the Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve. The Liberty will have two players on the squad in Stewart and Ionescu, making her Olympics debut. Joining them are returning Olympians Diana Taurasi (going for a historic sixth gold medal), Brittney Griner, Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd, as well as first timers Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, in addition to the gold medalists in 3×3, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. Gray remains a question mark as she has not yet played this due to injury.
That leads to the inevitable speculation of who will take the 12th spot if Gray withdraws. The logical choice based on merit is Arike Ogunbowale, but she removed herself from the pool, so Caitlin Clark fans may see their favorite player in Paris.