Emma Meesseman signed with the New York Liberty to win a title. But right now, the defending WNBA champions can't seem to get out of their own way.
The Liberty is in Los Angeles to take on the red-hot Sparks on Tuesday night, two days after suffering an 83-71 home defeat to the Minnesota Lynx. Though New York (20-11) remains one of the league's elite teams, the Liberty has been playing .500 basketball for two months, as key players have gone in and out of coach Sandy Brondello's lineup.
MORE: Sparks' Kelsey Plum ties a Caitlin Clark record as Los Angeles keeps sizzling
Meeseeman, who made her Liberty debut on Aug. 3, has impressed in her first WNBA action since 2022. The former WNBA Finals MVP is averaging 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, but the loss in Minnesota rankled her -- largely due to New York's 20 turnovers, 13 of which occurred in the second half.
“The ones that definitely could be avoided was just, again, attention to detail — pass to the open side — or we were not always on the same page,” Meesseman said of the giveaways. “It’s fundamentals, really. Maybe it’s not bad to just get back to the basics and how you learn as a kid.”
Granted, the Liberty have been shorthanded in recent weeks. Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart remains out with a bone bruise in her right knee, while forward Isabelle Harrison has been ruled out of Tuesday's game with a concussion. Kennedy Burke (calf) and Nyara Sabally (knee) will miss the Sparks showdown as well.
But Meesseman's assessment demonstrates the enormity of New York's ambition to reach the WNBA Finals for the third year in a row. The Belgium star and six-time EuroLeague champion expects steps in the right direction at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.
“No matter who we have on the court, no matter what level, players (or) what league, it’s all about hustle," Meesseman said. "I don’t think you can practice that. So we just have to go out there and fight.”
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