Liberty’s Breanna Stewart gets 100% real on NY’s 2026 preparedness

Breanna Stewart, the veteran forward for the New York Liberty, provided a candid evaluation following the team's 85-83 loss to the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals. This marked the first time in Stewart's career that she had been swept out of the postseason. Speaking after the match, Stewart expressed her team's inconsistent performance during the regular season, emphasizing that true readiness is not about cramming but being prepared from the very beginning of each game.

New York entered the postseason as the No. 8 seed, aiming to defend their championship title, but a challenging regular season left them rooted at this position. While the Liberty managed to eliminate the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, their momentum against Atlanta was not sustained. The team's inability to convert a late opportunity to tie the game proved costly, as Atlanta clinched the victory.

Stewart scored 26 points, matching Jonquel Jones' team-high, but the Dream's strategic prowess exposed underlying issues that had plagued the Liberty throughout the season. Factors such as injuries, roster changes, and the transition to first-year head coach Chris DeMarco all played a role in a campaign that fell short of expectations.

New York finished the regular season at 26-18, but their playoff run ended with a 2-3 record. After their crushing first-round upset, hopes of another deep playoff run were swiftly dashed by the Dream's dominant performance.