The Liberty got an easy victory over the shorthanded Phoenix Mercury, 89-71, at Barclays Center on Sunday.
Breanna Stewart led the way with 28 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. It was the kind of bounce-back game she hoped for after shooting just 1-for-14 from the field in last week’s loss to the Atlanta Dream.
Stewart’s 28 points give her the most in franchise history (239) through the first 10 games of the season. Eight-time All-Star Tina Charles previously held the record with 216 points through the first 10 games in the 2018 season. Betnijah Laney was third with 210 points during her breakout 2021 season for the Liberty.
The Liberty led by double digits most of the way and the team was without star guard Sabrina Ionescu, who missed her second consecutive game due to a tight left hamstring.
Sandy Brondello’s team has been able to fill in for Ionescu’s absence (16 points and four assists per game in 32 minutes) with the seamless addition of Marine Johannes and Jonquel Jones’ gradual return to peak performance following last season’s foot injury.
![Breanna Stewart has the most points through 10 games in Liberty franchise history.](https://www.nydailynews.com/resizer/CBGP3nz1zORF6WhM8bb-ZMHxJH4=/1024x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/I7AQO2LFMNE2DCST66TBX6E364.jpg)
Jones played 22 minutes Sunday and her performance in the first half contributed to the early lead. Jones is more comfortable on the floor and is getting more looks with Ionescu out. She finished the first half with eight points on 4-of-9 shooting and grabbed five boards.
She came into Sunday averaging nine points in 20 minutes per game. She has surpassed that minutes total in the prior two games and poured in 13 points in 22 minutes Sunday. She also added 11 rebounds and three assists.
Johannes got her second straight start in place of Ionescu. She shared point guard duties with Courtney Vandersloot and contributed three assists in 25 minutes. Johannes scored 10 points on 50% shooting from the field. Vandersloot contributed a seven assists and added in eight points in the win.
The shorthanded Mercury didn’t have enough with Brittney Griner (hip), Diana Taurasi (hamstring) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (pregnancy/childbirth) all out for the matchup.
It was Griner’s first appearance at Barclays Center this season after being freed from a Russian penal colony in December. The seven-time All-Star received a standing ovation Sunday after a video tribute in the first half.
Mercury forward Michaela Onyenwere also received a video tribute in her first game back at Barclays Center after being traded in the offseason. The former sixth-overall draft pick and Rookie of the Year recipient finished with five points 12 minutes played.
Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham led the way for Phoenix with 27 points. Guard Sug Sutton scored 10 points and dished nine assists.