Imago
Apr 25, 2026; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco speaks at a press conference before the game against the Indiana Fever at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Imago
Apr 25, 2026; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco speaks at a press conference before the game against the Indiana Fever at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
For the New York Liberty, the 2026 season was supposed to be a transition year, but none of it is affecting their on-court performances. Moving on from Sandy Brondello to head coach Chris DeMarco, it was expected that the Liberty would need some time to settle in. But as reality set in, they had just carried the momentum from last season, winning 3 in 4 games and setting an unprecedented record.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
In their latest win against the Portland Fire, the Liberty recorded 100 points in the game to clinch an 18-point win. Subsequently, these 100 points also helped the Liberty average 100 points across the first four games of a season, making them the first team to do so.
“It’s a new team, and we have to get used to playing with each other,” DeMarco said while doubling down on this offensive performance. “What we can do as a staff and players, it’s continuing to have the right spacing and understanding if defense takes something away, it means something else is open.”
Top Stories
Chris DeMarco: “It’s a new team, and we have to get used to playing with each other. What we can do as a staff and players, it’s continuing to have the right spacing and understanding if defense takes something away, it means something else is open.” (Q: @GeoffJMags) https://t.co/WvAVUaN5EU
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) May 15, 2026
The Liberty tipped off their season with a stellar scoring night against the Connecticut Sun. Powered by Breanna Stewart’s 31, DeMarco’s team posted 106, clinching a blowout win. The next two games were decent on that front, even though they couldn’t cross the 100-point mark.
They scored 98 points against the Washington Mystics. And then followed it with 96 points in a defeat to the Portland Fire. Now, for any WNBA fan, this shouldn’t be a surprise.
It all stems back to Liberty’s fantastic offseason. The front office didn’t just retain their Big Three but also brought in Satou Sabally to the roster. It added a new dynamic to the team, with its strong core and new talented players.
But the New York Liberty’s average of 100 points should sound more alarming, considering they’ve been able to pull it off even without two of their most vital players on the roster – Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu is currently recovering from a left foot injury that she sustained during a preseason game against the Connecticut Sun.
Sabally, on the other hand, is recovering from a cyst. In their absence, Breanna Stewart has really come alive in shouldering the team in these initial games. Stewie is currently averaging 20+ in points and 9+ in rebounds after the first four games. But to be honest, it’s something that she has perennially done for the New York Liberty.
The new thing about the team is that they aren’t over-reliant on their core players. Marine Johannes and Pauline Astier have been equally important to the Liberty across these games, along with Stewart and Jonquel Jones. With Johannes and Astier both averaging over 15 points, it puts a bottom line on the team’s offensive depth.
Imago
May 10, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Liberty players celebrate after their overtime win against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
This offense’s dynamism is something Liberty’s veteran guard, Ionescu, touched upon even before the preseason tipoff. And now, everything’s falling into place for the Liberty as she had said during her assessment.
“I think it’s kind of not traditional in that sense of finding different ways to attack mismatches and give the teams a different kind of look offensively,” Ionescu had said. “We are going to continue to do that, especially with the versatility we have on the offensive end.”
The offense might be quite rearing in a full-fledged fashion for the New York Liberty. But for Chris DeMarco, this average of 100 isn’t just restricted to the offense. The Liberty head coach feels it might lead to a bigger picture for the team.
Liberty’s DeMarco Outlines How Good Offense Can Lead to Strong Defense
One aspect of the New York Liberty’s game that stood out against the Portland Fire was its efficient defense. In their previous two games, DeMarco’s team gave away over 90+ points. It also includes a defeat against the Fire, despite scoring in the neighborhood of 95 in all these games.
But on Thursday, against the Portland Fire, the Liberty were able to flip the conversation. They defended the half-court well, allowing the Fire to score just 31% from beyond the arc. The team also fared quite well on the boards in their end of the court, outrebounding the Fire defensively 28-23.
Chris DeMarco feels that this defensive efficiency might just be a conclusion of an efficient offense. “It’s hard to play defense when you’re turning the ball over,” DeMarco said. “If you’re constantly in transition, you’re out of position, you foul more, you give up threes, it’s really hard. It’s all connected. You know, you can point out offense or defense, but the game of basketball is connected.
” You need high quality shots to get your defense set. Then they’re taking the ball out of the net. Now, you can get to your coverage and all that. So, I just think it was offensively getting the right shots, settling in a little bit, and then we were able to set our defense. And we did a few things differently as well,” DeMarco added further.
All in all, the Liberty did face some resistance in the game. Portland Fire players like Megan Gustafson and Bridget Carleton scored in double figures. But with DeMarco finding a perfect sync on either end of the court, it was always going to be difficult for the opposition.
With this win, the New York Liberty move back to winning ways in the league. They will now settle perfectly in their home arena after a three-game away stretch. Their next opponent is the Golden State Valkyries on May 22. Can Chris DeMarco’s team drop 100 points yet again to continue their average? Do let us know in the comments.
