That was a bummer. The New York Liberty hit Hollywood to face the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night. They took the lead in the second half, but were essentially in the mud all game long and it led to them losing 94-88. The seafoam are still in first place, but they still have work to do to secure the top seed in the playoffs.

The opponent tonight is looking to secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. The Seattle Storm have tried to figure things out as they begin their new era. It’s been a bit rocky, but they’re holding tough. They survived a tough challenge against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night and held on to win by four points.

Where to follow the game

ION is the place to be. League Pass for the out of towners. Late night affair so we getting started after 10 PM.

Injuries

Jonquel Jones missed Wednesday’s game with a non-COVID illness. She’s listed as questionable.

Jordan Horston missed Wednesday’s game with a non-COVID illness. She’s back tonight.

The game

New York won the first game. They close out the season series next week.

The Liberty say it all the time, but when they don’t move the ball side to side, bad things happen. They rush into their actions and don’t put pressure on opposing defenses when they get into those bad stretches. We saw it on full display as they turned the ball over 20 times in Los Angeles. When you’re that unorganized, you’re going to lose every single time.

Jewell Loyd has been trying to figure things out, but it’s been a struggle. She’s shooting a career low 36.2 percent from the field and perhaps most concerning, just 27.5 percent from three point range. That’s the lowest percentage she’s shot from deep since her rookie season. She still leads the team in field goal attempts and is fourth overall in FGAs. For Noelle Quinn and the Storm, they have to figure out how to put Jewell in the best position to succeed. Even as I say that, she can make you forget it all in the blink of an eye

Speaking of three point shooting, Sabrina Ionescu will try to regain her rhythm from deep. Sab hasn’t shot above 40 percent from deep since the win against the Sparks on August 15. For Ionescu, she’s been at her best when she’s driving downhill and getting into the painted area. That success getting to the basket opens up the rest of the court for herself and her teammates, which makes life so much easier for everyone.

Player to watch: Nneka Ogwumike

Quiet as it’s kept, Nneka has been one of the best players in the league this season. She’s been a source of consistency for the Storm as they try to find their identity before the playoffs start. How good has she been? My pal Nekias Duncan has more on the former MVP

For Nneka, she and Ezi Magbegor make for one of the best, most challenging frontcourt tandems to stop in the league this season. The Storm have been the second worst rebounding team in the league since the break (the Liberty have been the best), so it’s goin to take a lot of heavy lifting for the Storm tonight if they want to punch their ticket to the postseason.

If all else fails for the Liberty, Breanna Stewart will be there to save the day. Stew York was the main engine on offense Wednesday night as she was able to score 32 points while keeping the team afloat. Stewart can do everything in the world, and if JJ is out for another game, Sandy Brondello will have her play some more center minutes. The Liberty haven’t had to do it much this season, but tonight could be an opportunity for them to try it out before the stakes get high.

From the Vault

You can never go wrong with Seattle Stewie.

More reading: Swish Appeal, Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, The Strickland, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next