New York lost 76-67 to Golden State on Sunday, dropping the Liberty vs Valkyries matchup at Chase Center.
The defeat is New York's fourth in five games, a skid that has raised real questions about a team still trying to build chemistry under first-year coach Chris DeMarco.
Golden State Bench Shines in Liberty vs Valkyries win
Golden State pulled away with a surge late in the second quarter, taking a 12-point lead into halftime. New York scored just 29 points before the break, its lowest first-half output of 2026. The gap eventually stretched to 22.
Forward Jonquel Jones was a bright spot for New York, leading the Liberty with 21 points, while veteran Breanna Stewart added 15. But Sabrina Ionescu went scoreless through the first two quarters, finishing with just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting as she continues her comeback after an early-season injury.
Golden State's reserves, meanwhile, outpaced New York's bench 39-11. Veronica Burton anchored the second unit with eight points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
Jones, Stewart Demand More Ahead of WNBA Commissioner's Cup Final
Stewart spoke bluntly about her team's performance after the game.
"You can't play with heart and play with effort just when things are going good," she said. "It's really the moments when you're at the lowest."
Those sentiments echoed comments Jones made last week following the Liberty's loss to the Seattle Storm. "It's not about the reps, it's not about playing time, it's not about none of that stuff. It's about having some heart and playing with some f***ing heart," Jones said on Thursday.
Now 12-8 and fifth in the WNBA standings, the Liberty need to turn things around quickly. They face the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday in the Commissioner's Cup final. That game airs at 7 PM ET, live on Prime.
