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Liberty vs. Storm: How and Who to Watch as All-Star Approaches

The New York Liberty pre-All-Star Brooklyn slate will close out on Saturday afternoon, as Breanna Stewart's bearers of seafoam will face her old friends from Seattle for the third time this season.

Geoff Magliocchetti

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To some New Yorkers, Breanna Stewart may be the most electrifying Pacific Northwest import since Starbucks.

The New York Liberty have obviously enjoyed Stewart's return to her home state, as the WNBA champion (and future commissioner of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league) has set one landmark after another en route to a strong 12-4 record that stands as the W's second-best with the All-Star break nearing. 

Stewart, fresh off a 43-point showing in the Liberty's last game on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Mercury, will face her original WNBA employers again on Saturday afternoon when the Seattle Storm visit Brooklyn. It will serve as the Liberty's final game at Barclays Center before the WNBA All-Star break, that slate officially closing with a visit to Indiana on Wednesday afternoon.

The Liberty and Storm are just six days removed from their last get-together, with the former prevailing 81-66 at Climate Pledge Arena. Paced by 20 points from Stewart and an 18-point, 13-assist double-double from Courtney Vandersloot, the Liberty swept a two-game set against the Storm, also winning by eight on May 30. 

What: Seattle Storm (4-13) @ New York Liberty (12-4)

Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

When/Watch: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN

Who's Favored: NYL -10.5

Keep An Eye On: Kayla Thornton

The Liberty's Sunday visit to Seattle was one of their finest defensive efforts of the season: the 66 points allowed was their second-best of the year, behind only May 27's home win over Connecticut. Thornton has been the team's undeniable defensive spark since she came over from Dallas and that was perhaps most noticeable on Wednesday.

Thornton fell victim to the well-intentioned, if not arguably poorly-executed spacing rules, which led to an ejection. When she left, the Liberty led by a dozen with seconds remaining the third quarter. Phoenix embarked on a 24-12 run over the next seven-plus minutes to tie the game before Stewart took over at the end. 

There's no denying that the Liberty missed Thornton's defensive prowess, but the depth star has also proven to be a surprisingly clutch three-pointer shooter: shooting less than 33 percent entering her seventh season, Thornton is shooting over 45 percent this time around, including 3-of-4 over the past two contests.

Storm to Watch: Sami Whitcomb

Three days after facing Michaela Onyenwere for the second time this season, the Liberty will host another homecoming weekend with the reminted Pacific Northwesterner Whitcomb taking to Brooklyn hardwood once more.

Along with the likewise-departed Natasha Howard, Whitcomb came over from Seattle in 2021 as one of the first moves that made the Liberty what they are now. In the beginning, Whitcomb was a starting five staple to tip off the team's Brooklyn era, standing as veteran stability on a team of developing talents on the hunt for something greater.

Set to turn 35 in two weeks, Whitcomb has fulfilled a similar role in her second tour of Seattle as Jewell Loyd and Ezi Magbegor unlock their true potential: as a reserve, she has sunk 33 from deep, good for eighth in the Association. New York will be well-served to shut down Seattle's outside game at the source: with Whitcomb leading the way alongside Loyd, Ivana Dojkić, and fellow former New Yorker Kia Nurse, the Storm rank second in successful triples and third in percentage. 

They Said It

"Jewell is playing really, really, really, well. She's making tough shots and she's continuing to represent Seattle. It's weird playing against her, but I'm really happy to see her playing well."-Breanna Stewart on Jewell Loyd succeeding her as Seattle's franchise face

Prediction

This is another game that the Liberty should be able to win based on their name-brand firepower alone. The same could've been said about Wednesday's visit from the Phoenix Mercury, the W's current cellar-dwellers that nearly came back from 20 down armed with the returns of Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. Having a talent like Loyd, the only player ahead of Stewart for the WNBA scoring lead, makes Seattle impossible to bury until mathematics deem it necessary. 

New York, however, has conducted itself well and has done the things it has supposed to do when burdened with bigger expectations. As long as they don't get caught looking ahead to a matinee in Indianapolis (one that could secure them a spot in the Commissioner's Cup title game) and the upcoming All-Star festivities, they should be able to enjoy the weekend. 

Liberty 93, Storm 79

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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