Cloud scores 23, Stewart adds 18 as Liberty beats Mercury 76-69 in OT
[September 15, 2025]
PHOENIX (AP) — Natasha Cloud scored 23 points, Breanna Stewart added 18
before hurting her knee in overtime and the New York Liberty beat the
Phoenix Mercury 76-69 on Sunday in Game 1 of their best-of-three
first-round playoff series.
New York will advance to the semifinals with a win in Game 2 on
Wednesday in New York. |
New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello, left, and Natasha Cloud (9)
cheer on Breanna Stewart, center, during the first half of Game 1
against the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the WNBA basketball
playoffs Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb) |
|
Stewart fell to the the ground and grabbed at
her left knee after making a layup with 3:01 to play in
overtime. She stayed in the game and missed the free throw,
trying to play through the injury. She left the game about a
minute later and didn't return.
New York coach Sandy Brondello had no update on Stewart's injury
after the game. The New York star had a bone bruise in her other
knee in late July that forced her to miss about a month of the
season.
Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 15 points and Alyssa Thomas
had 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. DeWanna Bonner
added 12 points.
Cloud hit a 3-pointer to open the OT and spark an 8-0 run that
made it 73-65 with 1:51 left. Phoenix got within four, but
Leonie Fiebich, who finished with 10 points, hit a huge
3-pointer to seal the win.
Cloud, who played in Phoenix last season, made back-to-back
layups to give the Liberty a two-point lead with 4:17 left in
the fourth quarter. Copper answered with two free throws and,
after a turnover by Sabrina Ionescu, Thomas dropped a no-look
pass to Copper for a wide-open layup that gave the Mercury a
65-63 lead with 1:44 remaining.
Stewart then made a tough basket in the lane 13 seconds later
that eventually forced overtime.
The Liberty, who averaged 13.8 turnovers in the regular season,
finished with 20 turnovers — one shy of their season high —
which included 14 after halftime.
The Mercury made 25 of 77 (33%) from the field and shot 23% (6
of 26) from 3-point range.
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