Shock Exit: Liberty’s Dynasty Dreams Derailed in WNBA Playoff Upset…
In a stunning turn that reverberates through the WNBA, the New York Liberty—the defending champions who hoisted the trophy just a year ago—have been unceremoniously bounced from the first round for the first time since 2022. The Phoenix Mercury, fueled by gritty resolve and a barrage of three-pointers, sealed the deal with a 92-78 clincher in Game 3 on Friday night at Footprint Center, ending New York’s repeat bid in heartbreaking fashion.
The series was a microcosm of the Liberty’s turbulent 2025: flashes of brilliance overshadowed by nagging injuries and defensive lapses. Seeded fifth after a middling regular season marred by key absences—including a midseason ankle sprain for Breanna Stewart—the Liberty dropped Game 1 at home, 84-79, before squeaking out a 76-72 road win in Game 2. But Game 3 exposed their frailties. Brittney Griner, the Mercury’s towering force, dominated with 28 points and 12 rebounds, while Kahleah Copper’s 25 points, including four clutch threes, lit up Barclays Center ghosts from afar.
New York’s stars faltered under pressure. Stewart managed 18 points on inefficient shooting, and Sabrina Ionescu, the 2024 Finals MVP, went cold from beyond the arc (2-for-10). The crowd’s uneasy silence spoke volumes—chants for the expansion Golden State Valkyries echoed ironically after their own elimination earlier this week. Coach Sandy Brondello, now thriving against her former squad, called it “poetic justice,” her Mercury squad advancing to the semifinals with renewed fire since their 2021 title run.
This marks the first first-round ouster for a reigning champ since the Las Vegas Aces in 2022, shattering the narrative of inevitable dominance.
The league’s expanded 44-game slate and revamped 1-1-1 format promised parity, delivering it in spades. As the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx and surging Indiana Fever gear up for their clashes, Phoenix’s Cinderella surge injects chaos into the bracket. For Liberty fans, the sting lingers: a reminder that crowns are fleeting in this era of rising stars.
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