Liberty 95, Dream 84: Setting the record straight
The Liberty had revenge on the brain against the Dream.
“Always stay gracious, best revenge is your paper,” she claimed to the world on February 6, 2016. Beyonce dropped one of the best songs of all time, and managed to summarize her stance on revenge within it. This weekend, as she waltzes at MetLife for a crowd of thousands, the Liberty will be coming off a major revenge win.
Well, based off of Twitter fingers.
On June 24, the day after a 30-point loss to the Liberty, Atlanta Dream center Rhyne Howard tweeted this:
"Atlanta had this game circled on their calendar, but so did we," Breanna Stewart said after the win at Barclays Center Thursday night.
Stewart and the Liberty jumped out to a quick 25-10 lead, and then, eight Liberty points later, Stewie pulled up for a fadeaway turnaround jumper, a money shot we’ve seen out of her many times this season. Yet this one had a twist — it was a buzzer beater.
She then went on to become the first player in WNBA history with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a half. She went on to finish the night with 33 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
The entire Liberty team scored 26 in the first quarter, and then 31 in the second to head into the half with a 57-42 lead. Stewie notched her fourth 30-plus point game of the season, now only one behind her career-high of five.
Jonquel Jones added 19 points and 13 rebounds on the night, two days after being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
Do I smell more revenge?
Last week, Jones averaged 18.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, and 1.7 BPG. Oh, and she shot 100% at the free throw line. Against the Mystics last week, Jones scored 27 points to help her squad, and on Tuesday against the Storm, Jones secured 17 rebounds.
Jones, the 2021 MVP, the 2018 Sixth Woman of the Year, and the 2017 Most Improved Player, definitely came prepared for any revenge she felt she deserved.
In the 30-point June 23 victory, Jones had 18 points and 9 rebounds, and in their June 13 loss, she had 12 points and 6 rebounds.
WNBA reporters are noticing the return of a version of Jones they once knew:
"Her confidence level is exactly where it needs to be and it's only gonna continue to get better,” Stewie said of her teammate. “She's a former MVP, this is what she does. It might've took her a little while to get back to form, but we knew this was her."
The Liberty were also helped out by Betnijah Laney’s 14 points, yet another player that we’ve only seen improve as she grows more into her role.
Just check out the strength and confidence with which she secured two for the squad:
This then prompted the only appropriate response for a team owner:
Laney was the Liberty’s sole All-Star back in 2021, and although she didn’t get the honor this year, she has been a crucial part of the team’s continued success.
Stars like Stewie shine with their stat lines, but her legendary teammates like Jones and Laney continue to march forward, using a little bit of revenge as fuel along the way.
