Liberty Conjure Up Top Seed With Win Over Mystics

The New York Liberty have locked up the top seed on the 2024 WNBA playoff bracket with a win over the Washington Mystics.

Jul 13, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) looks on during the first half of a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Granted two chances to end the regular season on a high note, the New York Liberty mostly took advantage on Tuesday night in the nation's capital.

After dropping a home heartbreaker on Sunday against the Minnesota Lynx, the Liberty got back in the win column in the penultimate game of the regular season, neutralizing the Washington Mystics by an 87-71 final at Entertainment & Sports Arena.

With the win, the Liberty (32-7) tied their franchise record for most wins in a season (matching last year's tally) but also secured the top seed on the WNBA playoff bracket, which ensures homecourt advantage in postseason series they play this fall.

After only two women reached double-figures in Sunday's futile comeback, the Liberty enjoyed a scoring effort that proved far more diverse: five different New Yorkers had at least 10 points, a good number of them earned in one-sided scoring battles: though the three wasn't falling (8-of-31), the Liberty outscored Washington 50-18 in the paint. New York also capitalized on Mystic mistakes, turning 18 turnovers into 25 points (Washington was able to muster only seven on New York's dozen).

New York's ledger was once again paced by Breanna Stewart, who had a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double but depth stars stole the show: German Olympic stars Leonie Fiebich (13) and Nyara Sabally (12) united for 25 points off the bench, part of a 40-tally onslaught for the metropolitan reserves.

Every New Yorker that played at least 10 minutes left Tuesday's game with at least five points. All but 10 of their 34 successful tries from the field featured an assist, with Sabrina Ionescu's seven leading the way.

Tuesday's game was a potential first-round preview as Washington (13-26) held the tiebreaker in a three-way knot for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Liberty allowed the first three points of Tuesday's game but quickly scored the next 10 to build a lead they would never relinquish. Washington made several rallies, the most notable of which was a 9-2 output just before the midway mark of the third.

Following a timeout, though, New York recovered with a run of 14 unanswered over the last three minutes, inflating the lead in a game where whistles made it difficult to gain any traction: New York was charged with 25 fouls and three women had at least four.

The final period, however, was mostly a breeze thanks to the second unit strutting its stuff: Fiebich had nine of her 13 over the latter 20, which saw Kennedy Burke add seven more, including the three that punctuated that fateful run toward the end of the third.

With the loss, Washington no longer controls its postseason destiny, as the Atlanta Dream took over No. 8 with a win over the last part of the puzzle, the Chicago Sky. Ariel Atkins led all scorers with 22 points on Tuesday before she was forced to leave with a toe injury.

The Liberty can spoil Atlanta's playoff fun in their final regular season game on Thursday, as the Dream visit Barclays Center for each side's regular season finale (7 p.m. ET, Liberty Live/NBA TV).

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