The Liberty’s season came down to eight seconds, one point, a struggling double-teamed Breanna Stewart and a missed Courtney Vandersloot three. But really, it was so much more than a last-ditch drawn-up play gone wrong that sealed New York’s fate as WNBA finalists rather than champions. “I put the ball in the hands of the MVP because we trust her,” coach Sandy Brondello said after the Game 4 loss of Stewart getting the ball. “It just didn’t work out today.”
New York’s stated objective ahead of the 2023 season was to win a championship. The group fell short of that lofty goal, running up against a determined Aces team in the WNBA Finals. And instead of the Liberty celebrating with their Brooklyn fans, it was Las Vegas that hoisted the trophy in front of a Barclays Center crowd after a narrow 70–69 Game 4 victory.
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