The New York Liberty are preparing to resume their WNBA season following the midseason break for the FIBA Women’s World Cup, with four remaining games to secure their position in the playoff standings. Currently holding a 24-16 record, the Liberty sit in a three-way tie for sixth place and face a narrow gap between fourth and eighth in the league rankings.

The team’s schedule resumes Friday against the Minnesota Lynx, followed by a road game versus the Toronto Raptors and two home contests against the Atlanta Dream. With limited games left, the Liberty are focused on maintaining momentum rather than using the international break as an excuse for sluggish play.

Sabrina Ionescu, the team’s star guard, emphasized the urgency, stating that the squad must continue its upward trajectory without relying on past interruptions as a rationale for underperformance. “We have to continue to ascend,” she said, noting that the team cannot afford to lose ground in these final contests.

Leading up to the break, New York had been gaining traction, winning seven of their previous 10 games. However, with the season paused, half the roster took time off while seven players competed internationally in Berlin, with five of those athletes participating in the World Cup’s championship and third-place games. Though fatigue and jet lag may be concerns, coach Chris DeMarco views the international experience as a positive factor, highlighting that the high-pressure games could improve the team’s performance moving forward.

“Every team is going through something similar,” DeMarco said. “The fact that they were all playing in those championship games... could be a good thing for us.”

Ionescu underscored the importance of starting strong as the postseason approaches, noting that the brief return window means the Liberty must hit the ground running. “Four games is going to go by really quick,” she said, stressing the need to “keep building and chipping away” to be competitive at playoff time, including a successful road trip and defending their home court advantage.

The current break contrasts with the monthlong hiatus during the 2024 Paris Olympics, which occurred earlier in the season and left a longer stretch to finalize playoff positioning. That year, the Liberty finished strongly by winning 11 of their last 15 games and ultimately secured their first WNBA Finals championship.

This season presents a different challenge, with fewer games remaining after the break. Ionescu acknowledged the difficulty of transitioning back into rhythm after the World Cup, citing factors such as fatigue and altered roles within national teams. “There’s so many variables,” she said, emphasizing the need for consistency and focus in the closing weeks to position New York for postseason success.