The New York Liberty just won their eighth straight game, and the scariest part is how they did it. No single star carried them. No starter logged 35 minutes and willed the team to victory. Instead, a three-time All-Star who signed this offseason came off the bench, scored 17 points, and called that the whole point.
Satou Sabally made clear after Wednesday’s 96-95 win over the Chicago Sky that this Liberty group isn’t about egos. It’s about everyone contributing, regardless of who starts. Sabally, finishing 8-of-11 from the floor, put up her points with efficiency and ease — but she insisted the real difference is how the team shares the load.
“This is exactly what makes us a basketball team,” Sabally said, per Liberty reporter Myles Ehrlich. “Everyone is important, and we’re just carrying each other. It doesn’t matter who starts or doesn’t start, we’re all just equal, and we’re all contributing to a win.”
The Ionescu Finish That Saved the Night
Sabrina Ionescu wasn’t in the game for the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Then New York needed a hero, and coach Sandy Brondello put her back in. Ionescu responded with a left-handed layup with 10.3 seconds left that gave the Liberty the lead for good. Chicago’s Sydney Taylor missed a jumper on the other end, and New York escaped Wintrust Arena with the win.
Ionescu finished with 10 points and three rebounds, but she wasn’t even the leading scorer for her own team. Jonquel Jones dropped 19 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Breanna Stewart added 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
That depth is exactly what makes this Liberty run feel different. New York improved to 11-4 while Chicago — now losers of four straight — fell to 4-10. The Liberty also clinched a spot in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game, awaiting either the Minnesota Lynx or the Las Vegas Aces.
A Star’s Acceptance of a Reserve Role
The more remarkable story might be how seamlessly Sabally has adjusted to a bench role. A three-time All-Star with two All-WNBA nods, Sabally could have pushed for a starting job. Instead, she’s embraced the fact that New York’s rotation is deep enough to make anyone a reserve on paper while still being a star on the floor.
That willingness to sacrifice is why the Liberty look like the most dangerous team in the league. Other teams may have one or two players who can take over a game. New York has four, and none of them seem to care who gets the credit.
The Liberty face the Washington Mystics on Friday, and the question is no longer if New York can win — it’s whether any team can keep up with a group this unselfish.
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