Fantastic 4ths Fuel Liberty Fury

The New York Liberty have saved the best for last while building a seven-game winning streak.

Brandon Todd, NY Liberty

The fourth is strong with the New York Liberty this season.

Perhaps partly jaded by the heartbreaking ending endured in last season's WNBA Finals, the Liberty have found a perfect way to end their modern stories this time around.

By conventional and advanced means, New York is bringing a whole new definition to saving the best for last: entering Friday night play on the WNBA circuit, the Liberty rank second in both scoring and field goal percentage over the final 10 minutes and it leads all teams in that same timeframe in both offensive (110.2) and defensive (84.3) rating. The resulting net rating of 25.9 is over 15 points higher than the closest competitor (Seattle).

May 18, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks to drive past New York Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot (22) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Stat hounds likely swoon over the Liberty's scientifically-proven crackdowns: as it stands, the Liberty boast seven players in the top 11 in fourth quarter defensive rating (min. 5 minutes played). Second to only Seattle's Victoria Vivians, Vanderloot (73.1) leads the way while rookie Leonie Fiebich (86.8) rounds out the metro representation.

"The chemistry we built last year and the experiences we had last year help us now," head coach Sandy Brondello said after a Saturday victory over the previously undefeated Connecticut Sun. "We settle down, our defense goes to another level, I think our connections even go to another level, regardless of what happens in those other quarters ... that's an ability that really good teams have."

Currently engaged in a seven-game winning streak, the longest active tally in the W, New York's closing composure was on grand display during a perfect five-game Commissioner's Cup stretch.

After handling business against the Indiana Fever in the June 1 opener, the Liberty (11-2) had at least a plus-10 advantage in the fourth quarter column of the box score in each of its next three games, leading to expanded margins that turned late deficits into an excuse to empty the bench.

Facing a one-point deficit entering the fourth quarter in a June 4 visit to Chicago ... a team that has come close to having their number so far this year ... the Liberty put up a 23-9 finish to secure an 88-75 victory. Two nights later, a seven-point lead ballooned to 17 in Atlanta before another erased deficit awaited in Connecticut thanks to a 25-15 finish.

"I think it continues to show our growth," reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart said after the Chicago win. "The way we execute down the stretch and put the team in a position to take a tough shot, we try to give them the long, contested twos. We know how important the fourth quarter is. Obviously, everyone is important but we want to finish the game, finish it strong."

Following the loss to the Las Vegas Aces in last year's championship series, New York management went into the last offseason publicly professing its faith in the chemistry among the starting five developed in 2023's debut would evolve into smoother sailing.

Brandon Todd, NY Liberty

That faith has been vindicated thus far thanks to the assembly of All-Stars being joined by reserve newcomers like Fiebich and Kennedy Burke. With sixth woman Kayla Thornton also on hand (more recently taking the starting five spot of Vandersloot, out due to personal reasons), New York has slammed the door shut in its recent affairs after their net rating fell to minus-9.8 during the final periods of last postseason.

"I think we have veterans and it shows late," Jonquel Jones, ranking fifth in the aforementioned defensive rating ranking, said after a New York win over Washington on Sunday. "People understand the moment. We lock in and we take it to another level. I think our area of growth is going to have to be trying to find those moments a little bit earlier in games to get out of those situations. But, ultimately, I think it comes down to just having people that understand the moment, who have been in this league, and understand what it takes to win."

The Liberty get a chance to continue showcasing how far they've come on Saturday when the first of three Finals rematches is staged in Sin City on Saturday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, ABC).

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