The New York Liberty will begin the second half of the WNBA season with a three-game road trip, starting Tuesday night in Los Angeles against the Sparks. The Liberty enter the matchup coming off a challenging stretch, having gone 4-8 in their last 12 games before the All-Star break.

Despite closing out the first half with two wins, New York's overall standing slipped from second to seventh place in the league between mid-June and the start of the second half. The team has faced adversity with key players Satou Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu missing time, placing a heavier scoring responsibility on Breanna Stewart.

Stewart has adapted by increasing her presence in the paint, where she is currently averaging career highs with 11.2 points and 7.3 free-throw attempts per game. The Sparks, struggling defensively this season, may present an advantageous matchup for Stewart. Los Angeles ranks near the bottom of the league in points allowed in the paint (42.5) and three-point attempts defended per game (27.2), making them vulnerable both inside and on the perimeter.

In their previous meeting this season, Stewart scored 18 points against the Sparks, benefiting from defensive lapses that left her open from beyond the three-point line. Given the Sparks’ defensive weaknesses, Stewart is expected to exploit opportunities inside and potentially from the perimeter again.

Currently, Stewart’s scoring projection is set at 21.5 points for Tuesday’s game. She has exceeded this mark in half of her last 10 outings, signaling a strong likelihood of continuing her scoring pace as the Liberty seek to improve their standing in the latter half of the season.