Stewart Dribble: Liberty Cool Mercury, Welcome Back Brittney Griner

The New York Liberty capped off the first quarter of their season in style, handling business against a Phoenix Mercury team missing Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi.

NEW YORK-All the New York Liberty needed to recover from a listless performance sans Sabrina Ionescu was a helping of hot Stew.

Breanna Stewart's return to form got the Liberty back in the win column on Sunday afternoon, as they downed the Phoenix Mercury 89-71 at Barclays Center. After Stewart shot 1-of-14 from the field in a Tuesday loss to Atlanta, she put in a double-double that was more in tune with her usual output, earning 28 on 7-of-13 shooting and 14 rebounds. Her efforts sustained the New York (7-3) offense after Ionescu was held out for the second straight game due to a sore hamstring. 

With that output, she comes the second New Yorker to have seven games with at least 10 of each within the opening 10 games of a season, joining Tina Charles (2016). In the larger lens of WNBA history, Stewart became the first player to earn at least 200 points, 100 rebounds, and 40 assists within the first 10 games of a season.

Sunday's win capped off the first quarter of the Liberty's first 40-game campaign. As it stands, New York is a half-game behind Connecticut for second place in the WNBA standings with the Sun set to face Los Angeles later on Sunday. 

The lead-up to Sunday's game was an emotional affair, as Phoenix's visit was its first since Brittney Griner returned home to the United States after 294 days in Russian custody. Griner had been arrested and detained in Moscow on charges of drug smuggling after vaporizer cartridges containing hash oil were found in her luggage. 

Griner did not play on Sunday due to a hip injury (nor did fellow Mercury star Diana Taurasi) but shared emotional reunions with several familiar faces, including her former head coach and current Liberty boss Sandy Brondello. Stewart was one of the most vocal voices behind advocating for Griner's release during her detainment and Sunday's star entered Barclays Center clad in the latter's No. 42 Mercury uniform.

As for the game itself, New York led wire-to-wire behind an explosive start from Stewart, who put up 23 points in the first half alone. Phoenix (2-8) briefly threatened thanks to outside heroics from Sophie Cunningham, who led all visiting scorers with 27 points, but a final push put the affair out of reach. New York's lead reached as high as 22 as they also enjoyed a double-double effort from Jonquel Jones (13 points, 11 rebounds).

The Liberty will have a chance to start a new winning streak on Friday night when they face the aforementioned Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena (7:30 p.m. ET, Ion).

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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