The New York Liberty extended its winning streak to six games on Thursday night, beating the Atlanta Dream 104-90 in a matchup between two unbeaten Commissioner's Cup teams.
New York's 16-of-31 shooting from beyond the arc opened up the game, while Atlanta's struggles at the free-throw line kept it out of reach.
Liberty vs Dream Shakes Up WNBA Commissioner's Cup Race
The result reshapes the 2026 WNBA Commissioner's Cup standings as New York improves to 4-0 in Cup play, now controlling its path to the final.
Satou Sabally paced the bench with 19 points, and Breanna Stewart anchored the frontcourt defense alongside Raquel Carrera. Together, they limited Atlanta's second-chance opportunities.
Despite the Liberty committing 20 turnovers, the 2024 WNBA champion overcame poor ball handling by generating clean looks and consistent offensive movement. Later, a pair of deep threes from French stars Marine Johannes and Pauline Astier helped New York cement the win
Angel Reese Scores Team-High 25 in Dream Loss
Angel Reese was one of Atlanta's few bright spots on Thursday, leading the Dream with a team-high 25 points. She started slow but found her rhythm, attacking the basket through contact in the second half.
But her effort alone wasn't enough to close the gap. The Dream shot just 15-of-27 from the free-throw line, leaving points on the board when it mattered most. Atlanta now sits at 2-1 in WNBA Commissioner's Cup play with less room for error going forward.
The Liberty next hosts the Washington Mystics on Sunday at 3 PM ET, live on NBA TV.
The Dream, meanwhile, travels to Toronto to face the Tempo on Sunday at 3 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.
Jonquel Jones recorded 22 points and 17 rebounds to lead No. 6 New York past No. 10 Toronto 97-82 in Wednesday's Liberty vs Tempo WNBA game.
The victory extends New York's winning streak to three games and moves the Liberty to 6-4 on the season.
Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart Power Liberty Frontline
Jones set the tone early, controlling the paint from the opening tip. By halftime, she had tallied 17 points and 12 rebounds for a first-half double-double. Toronto simply could not match her size or positioning down low.
All-Star forward Breanna Stewart managed just two points before the break, but she came alive for the Liberty after halftime.
Stewart scored 17 of her 19 points across the final two quarters, giving New York a second offensive engine when it mattered most. Behind that surge, the Liberty outscored Toronto 30-24 in the third quarter while steadily pulling away.
Satou vs. Nyara Sabally: Sibling Rivalry Fuels Liberty vs Tempo Win
Beyond the final score, Wednesday's game had a built-in family rivalry subplot.
The Tempo selected Nyara Sabally from New York in the 2026 expansion draft, setting up future head-to-head WNBA games with her sister, Liberty forward Satou Sabally.
That matchup delivered during a 15-2 second-quarter run by the Liberty. Satou hit a transition three-pointer over Nyara and knocked down two threes during the stretch to help New York take command.
Wednesday also marked a homecoming for Toronto head coach Sandy Brondello.
She led New York to its first WNBA title in 2024, before being released by the Liberty following the 2025 WNBA season. Still, fans gave her a warm ovation before tipoff.
Where to Watch WNBA Commissioner's Cup Games This Weekend
The Toronto Tempo now move to 5-5 on the season ahead of Sunday's 3 PM ET clash with the Chicago Sky, live on WNBA League Pass.
The Liberty, meanwhile, will host the Indiana Fever on Saturday at 8 PM ET, live on CBS.
The NY Liberty is looking to right the ship, as New York enters tonight’s Mercury vs Liberty clash on a three-game losing streak amid a mounting early-season injury list.
New York fell to expansion side Portland 81-74 on Monday, wrapping up this season’s series against the Fire on an unexpected 1-2 record.
“It’s a learning experience,” said forward Breanna Stewart. “Not to say that we thought it was gonna be easy, because we definitely didn’t, but it’s gonna take time.”
The Liberty has only fielded its Big 4 — Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, and offseason signing Satou Sabally — once this year, with Sabally and Ionescu seeing limited minutes due to injury and illness.
“I’m glad it’s now and not later,” guard Rebecca Allen said of New York’s early struggles. “When this happens towards the end of the season, that’s when you see the wheels fall off, and it’s hard to regroup. Whereas right now, we’ve got the luxury of time.”
The Liberty faces a similarly motivated Mercury team, as Phoenix carries its own three-game losing streak into Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
New York hosts Phoenix tonight at 7 PM ET, live on USA.
The Valkyries defeated the Liberty 87-70 on Thursday night, controlling the tempo from the opening tip. Five Golden State players scored in double figures, led by Gabby Williams with 16 points, while New York suffered without Sabrina Ionescu.
The decisive blowout spoiled the highly anticipated season debut of New York’s free-agent signing, Satou Sabally.
Sabally returned to action following a lengthy recovery from a concussion, recording five points and four rebounds in her first game with the franchise. Meanwhile, the Liberty offense struggled to find a rhythm without star playmaker Ionescu, who remained sidelined due to an ongoing foot injury.
Satou Sabally Returns From WNBA Concussion Protocol
Fans tracking Sabally's injury status finally got answers on Thursday.
The 27-year-old forward missed the start of the regular season while recovering from a cyst and a concussion sustained during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals with Phoenix last year.
After her long break, Sabally received a warm ovation from the home crowd in her first appearance for New York. She started the game and logged 16.5 minutes on the floor, providing a foundational piece for the team's frontcourt.
Sabrina Ionescu Injury Update: Liberty Offense Stalls in Loss
With Sabally back, the bigger question for New York remains the status of their star point guard.
Ionescu originally sustained a left foot and ankle injury during a preseason matchup against the Connecticut Sun. Although she returned to practice this week, she was ultimately ruled out just before tipoff.
Without Ionescu, Golden State disrupted the Liberty's rhythm early in the game. New York had averaged 100 points per game over their first four contests, but they found little room to breathe against the Valkyries' defensive pressure.
Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Jonquel Jones added 16 points. But the rest of the roster struggled to find efficient shots, and the Liberty finished the night shooting just 6-for-24 from three-point range.
While New York looked for answers on offense, Golden State capitalized on transition opportunities, building a comfortable nine-point lead in the first quarter. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Valkyries extended the margin to 63-46 and never looked back.
Golden State has a quick turnaround this week, heading to Indiana to face the Fever tonight while the Liberty takes on the Dallas Wings at home on Sunday.
New York is shoring up its WNBA injury report, hoping to see sidelined starter Sabrina Ionescu make her season debut in tonight's Liberty vs Valkyries matchup.
Star guard Ionescu returned to practice this week after missing the first four games with a foot injury. New signing Satou Sabally also joined training after dealing with a cyst. However, both players remain game-time decisions.
“We will see how they feel tomorrow,” Liberty coach Chris DeMarco said Wednesday.
Should Ionescu and Sabally suit up, they’ll be deepening the bench for a 3-1 New York team starting to click under its new coach.
Veterans Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones have shown consistent production. Guard Pauline Astier sits atop the rookie scoresheet, and the team expects Leonie Fiebich’s imminent return from Spain’s Valencia.
“It’s a new team and we have to get used to playing with each other,” said DeMarco.
“What we can do as a staff and players as a whole is continue to have the right space and understand, if a defense takes something away it means something else is open.”
Where to Watch Sabrina Ionescu in Liberty vs Valkyries
The Liberty hosts the Valkyries tonight at 8 PM ET, live on Prime.
Satou Sabally is heading to New York in 2026 after agreeing to a multiyear deal with the Liberty, delivering one of the biggest headlines in WNBA free agency.
Sabally entered the offseason as one of the top available players, and New York moved quickly to land her. The three-time All-Star joins a Liberty core that already includes Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, with Jones also agreeing to a new multiyear deal this week.
The fit is clear: Sabally gives New York another versatile frontcourt option who can create off the dribble, stretch the floor, and defend multiple positions. And at 6-foot-4, she adds size without sacrificing pace.
She is also coming off one of the strongest seasons of her career in Phoenix. The 27-year-old led the Mercury in scoring with 16.3 points per game while averaging 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals across 39 regular-season appearances.
Sabally leveled up in the WNBA playoffs, averaging 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 10 postseason games to help Phoenix oust both New York and Minnesota. She subsequently helped the franchise reach its first WNBA Finals birth since 2021 before suffering a concussion in the last game of the series.
The move carries another layer. Sabally is additionally reuniting with former Oregon teammate Sabrina Ionescu. The pair helped lead the Ducks to the program's first Final Four in 2019 before becoming the top two picks in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
How Satou Sabally Fits Into New York's 2026 WNBA Season
The Liberty are still operating in must-win mode after taking the 2024 title before falling short of another WNBA Finals run last season. With the signing, Sabally gives New York yet another proven All-Star as the team continues shaping one of the deepest rosters heading into the 2026 WNBA season.
Sidelined Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally is still down for the count, with the 27-year-old set to miss the 2026 season tip-off of Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball as she continues to recover from lingering concussion symptoms.
Sabally suffered the head injury in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals on October 8th, requiring assistance in exiting the matchup after visibly swaying upon standing.
The concussion forced Sabally to sit out the remainder of the postseason series against the eventual 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
Both Sabally and Unrivaled planned her return to Phantom BC for the league's second season, with the German national impressing in the offseason venture's debut run by averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
Sabally is under a multi-year contract with the upstart, with Unrivaled promising that while the forward will be out "indefinitely," medical personnel will reevaluate her fitness "at a later date" as both parties hope to see her on the 3×3 court this season.
In her stead, Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes — who suited up for Unrivaled's Laces BC last season — will join Phantom BC as Sabally's replacement.
The second season of Unrivaled 3x3 Basketball will tip off in Miami on January 5th, 2026.
Five WNBA stars became cover stars this week, as Glamour Magazine named Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull, Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally, and New York Liberty centers Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally as the 2025 Women of the Year on Monday.
In the feature story, the players discussed the ongoing CBA negotiations, how they manage the WNBA's booming popularity, and other key issues.
"This is the best women's league in the world for a reason," said Jones. "The best athletes and the best competition, and people are seeing that now… It's time that we're paid like that."
Though the interview occurred weeks before her now-viral exit interview calling out WNBA leadership, Collier was already pointing out the disparities between player success and compensation.
"The amount of money that Caitlin Clark has made the league is insane, and she's getting 0% of it because we have no rev share," Collier said in her Glamour interview. "She gets less than $80,000 a year, and she's bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. It's insane."
Hull also made waves, speaking to Clark's popularity with the Fever going on to battle injury adversity all the way to the 2025 WNBA semifinals.
"I think there is a level of jealousy when it comes to the Fever, just because of the media attention and the fans that have shown up for us ever since Caitlin got here," she told the magazine. "We've heard people and players and teams talking in their locker room about, 'We can’t let the Fever win.'"
The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury will fight for survival on Friday night, entering Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals down 0-3 in the best-of-seven series to the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces — and without one of their brightest stars.
Phoenix forward Satou Sabally is officially out with a concussion after picking up the head injury in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's Game 3.
Sabally has been the Mercury's leading scorer this postseason, averaging 19 points plus seven rebounds per game during the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.
While a four-game sweep to claim the title seems a tall order for Phoenix — particularly without Sabally's scoring — a home-court victory on Friday could comfort the Mercury's home crowd and soften the blow of what feels like an impending Aces championship.
"At the end of the day, it's about getting each other open shots," Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said on Wednesday. "All season long, we've seen different defenses, so it's not about just one person. It's about us playing connected, playing for each other."
"We're facing elimination," she added. "We've had plenty of opportunities to go out there and get a win. At some point, we have to take it upon ourselves."
Though Las Vegas has one hand on the 2025 WNBA trophy, Phoenix can still prove they can execute their brand of basketball with their backs against the wall.
How to watch Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals
The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury will get one last crack at survival in the 2025 WNBA Finals as they look to halt the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces' momentum in Game 4 on Friday.
The matchup will tip off live at 8 PM ET on ESPN.
The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury land in Las Vegas to tip off the first best-of-seven finals in league history on Friday night, leaning into a new-look roster as they take on the No. 2 Aces in Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals — the Mercury's first championship series since 2021.
"This is what it's all about," said Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas ahead of the matchup. "We play the whole season for playoffs and moments like this. I want to win. I've been chasing a championship for a long time, and I think this is our time."
The Mercury found almost immediate success this year after picking up top free agents like Thomas and fellow forward Satou Sabally during a productive offseason.
"I'm really happy with the strides that we've made, how we're trying to build this team moving forward, because there were some players that took chances on us and you want it to go well," second-year Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts told JWS last month.
"It speaks volumes about the team and how we stay composed, how we can go on runs and ride the wave," Thomas said. "You don't know what each game is going to bring, but the biggest thing is us staying composed."
Phoenix will have their work cut out for them on Friday night, facing a Las Vegas home unit armed with significant postseason experience as Aces mainstays A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray shoot for their third title in four years.
"We've been here before, we have a team full of vets, but they do, too. I don't think you can take that for granted," said Young.
How to watch Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals
The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury and No. 2 Las Vegas Aces will tip off the 2025 WNBA Finals at 8 PM ET on Friday, with Game 1 airing live on ESPN.
Game 2 will follow at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on ABC.