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It’s the end of August, and games between the W’s 13 teams couldn’t be more competitive. While the Aces and Lynx are already in the playoffs, the Liberty are still fighting for their spot. But New York couldn’t be more prepared now, as Breanna Stewart has just returned from a knee injury after missing 13 games.
While Stewie was out, the Liberty’s defensive rating dropped in effectiveness from 97.2 points per 100 possessions to 106.8—marking the fourth worst in the league. Adding to that, NY’s starting center, Jonquel Jones, has also returned to the lineup after missing 12 games.
“We just can’t catch a break on the injury front,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said in a postgame press conference. “We’re a really good team when we have our full group, but we haven’t been able to show it, and it’s frustrating.” While the Liberty are still not at 100% health, don’t count them out just yet.
Game Information
Injury report
The Washington Mystics and NY Liberty aren’t coming in with full rosters today. But they’re on the same page, as two players from each team are sidelined for the upcoming game. While Jacy Sheldon and Georgia Amoore are out for the Mystics, Natasha Cloud and Nyara Sabally will miss another game for the Liberty.
| Name | Status | Injury | Return Date |
| Jacy Sheldon | Out | (Ankle injury) out for the upcoming game | 30 August |
| Georgia Amoore | OFS | She underwent successful surgery to repair her right ACL tear. | 1 May |
| Natasha Cloud | GTD | (Nose injury) is officially listed as questionable for the Mystics vs the Liberty game. | 28 August |
| Nyara Sabally | Out | (Knee injury) continues to progress, but will not be making a return by next week | 20 August |
Starting five
Here are the starting five to expect in the NY Liberty vs Washington Mystics game:
NY Liberty
Sabrina Ionescu Breanna Stewart Kennedy Burke Leonie Fiebich Jonquel JonesWashington Mystics
Allysha Clark Sonia Citron Shakira Austin Sug Sutton Kiki IriafenNY Liberty vs Washington Mystics prediction
There’s no doubt, the defending champions, with their oh-so-perfect 23-15 record, are most likely to win the game. So, you know why ESPN has given the New York Liberty an 84.8% chance to win the upcoming game. Even Sportsbook Wire, have favored Liberty on the moneyline 31 times this season.
But it all makes sense as they’ve scored more than 162.5 points in 23 of their 38 games this season. But the Mystics, too, have entered games as underdogs 22 times this season, winning 40.9% of those matchups. Combined with their opponents, they’ve scored more than 162.5 points in 18 of 38 games this season.
May 22, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) defends against New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) during the second half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
However, the team is currently on a four-game losing streak after a recent 84-82 last-second home loss to Seattle. On a positive note, standout Shakira Austin scored a career-high 30 points against the Storm. Averaging 13.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season, she’ll be leading the Mystics against Breanna Stewart and company. But if we’ve learned something this season, it’s that you should never underestimate any team when the competition is this intense!
The post NY Liberty vs Washington Mystics: Injury Report, Starting 5, Prediction and More on Tonight’s WNBA Preview appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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