Liberty's title defense ends in 79-73 Game 3 loss to Mercury
Breanna Stewart scores 30 in a losing effort as Phoenix eliminates New York in Phoenix; Mercury advance to face the Lynx
The New York Liberty’s bid to defend their WNBA title ended with a 79-73 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of Friday’s first‑round series in Phoenix. New York had started the season strong, opening with a nine‑game win streak after climbing the mountain last year, but the playoff run fell short in the desert.
Breanna Stewart, battling through a knee injury, led the Liberty with 30 points, and Sabrina Ionescu added 22, but the supporting cast did not provide enough secondary scoring. New York trailed early and could not complete the comeback despite a late push in the fourth quarter.
Phoenix advanced to face the Minnesota Lynx in the next round, sending the Liberty home for the season. Instead of a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the Mercury will move on while New York’s title defense ends with a first‑round exit.
The loss marks the end of New York’s postseason run despite one of the league’s most prominent duos delivering the points. The Liberty will regroup after an up‑and‑down outing in a year that began with championship expectations and ends in Phoenix as their bid to repeat was halted in the opening series.
