The previous season's Eastern Conference Champion, New York Liberty, are right back in the mix.
The Liberty WNBA team has started the 2024 season off strong with a 7-2 record.
Their most recent win is an example of their dominance so far this season. They took down a tired and wounded Indiana Fever team and blew them out in the Commissioner's Cup tournament.
With close to ten games played in the season, New York stands tall in the WNBA.
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New York's Prized Team
The Liberty are currently second in the East behind the undefeated Connecticut Sun.
They managed to carry over their success from last season despite lacking a staple victory over a significant team in the W thus far.
New York has won against some bottom feeders in the league, defeating Caitlin Clark and the Fever three times and the 0-8 Washington Mystics.
Their lack of wins over genuine top contenders in the WNBA is a concern for a talented team that reached the finals last season. Despite this they are a prime team in the W and that is for great reasons, as the Liberty could still very well win it all.
Breanna Stewart has definitely been impactful, even though she is struggling to truly replicate her MVP season, as she only scored over 20 points three times so far this year.
Stewart has seen dips in scoring along with efficiency, going from 23.0 points per game on shooting 35% at three and 46% from the field, to 17.9 points per game and shooting 43% from the field along with a staggering 17.2% from three.
Her numbers compared to last season are down, but she is still one of the best players in the WNBA.
Sabrina Ionescu remains consistent on the season, averaging 17.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
The deadly three-point specialist has continued her high-level of play, and remains as an elite guard in the league.
The Liberty are also managing to find wins without a key role player in Courtney Vandersloot, who is currently out with injury.
Major Role Players
(Photo : (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images))
While New York has one of the best dynamic tandems in the league, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, the real strength of their team is their solid group of role players.
Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and Marine Johannes are significant cogs of the Liberty in their championship hopes.
Laney-Hamilton has taken a significant jump this season, posting 12.7 points per game along with her top-notch defense on some of the best guards in the league.
Center Jonquel Jones, a former MVP in her own right, has been very effective as an inside force for NY.
And Johannes is still one of the best sharpshooters in the W.
If the Liberty want to have any chance at a championship, these core three players need to continue to remain efficient in their quest to win it all.
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