The $30 million win streak

The New York Liberty's second consecutive victory over the Phoenix Mercury is a testament to their growing strength and resilience in the WNBA season. With a hard-fought 75-68 win on Friday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Liberty improved to 5-4 on the season, showing their ability to bounce back from a slow start.

The game was a rematch from Wednesday when the Liberty used a dominant 23-0 run to seal the win. This time, the Liberty built a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter but had to withstand a late Mercury surge before securing the win.

Pauline Astier led the Liberty with 16 points and provided crucial plays down the stretch, including a driving layup to halt a Phoenix run and two free throws with 8.8 seconds left that put the game away.

Astier's clutch plays

Pauline Astier's performance was a key factor in the Liberty's win. She scored 16 points and made key plays down the stretch, including a driving layup to halt a Phoenix run and two free thhrows with 8.8 seconds left that put the game away.

Astier's ability to make clutch plays has been a hallmark of her career, and she continues to be a valuable asset to the Liberty.

The Mercury's struggles

The Phoenix Mercury, on the other hand, struggled to find consistency on offense. They lost their fifth straight game , and their 2-7 record is a far cry from their 2023 season.

Kahleah Copper was the standout for Phoenix, scoring 14 of her 16 points in the second half after missing her first seven shots. However, the Liberty defense tightened when it mattered most, and the Mercury were unable to overcome their slow start.

Return of Satou Sabally

The game also marked the return of Satou Sabally, who signed with the Liberty as a free agent in the offseason after spending her entire career with the Mercury. Sabally missed Wednesday's game due to illness and came off the bench on Friday, logging 10 minutes and scoring four points.

While her impact was limited , her presence added emotional weight to the matchup, and the Liberty will be looking to her to contribute more in the coming games.

Open questions

One question that remains unanswered is how the Liberty will perform in their next few games , particularly against the Toronto Tempo, who are led by former Liberty coach Sandy Brondello.

Another question is whether the Mercury can find a way to overcome their struggles and get back on track.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

The Liberty's win over the Mercury is reminiscent of the 2019 season, when the Liberty also won two games in a row against the Mercury. In that season , the Liberty went on to win the WNBA championship, and it will be interesting to see if they can replicate that success this year.

The game also marked the return of Satou Sabally, who signed with the Liberty as a free agent in the offseason after spending her entire career with the Mercury. Sabally missed Wednesday's game due to illness and came off the bench on Friday, logging 10 minutes and scoring four points.

While her impact was limited, her presence added emotional weight to the matchup, and the Liberty will be looking to her to contribute more in the coming games.

The Liberty now have a few days off before hostting the Toronto Tempo, and they will be looking to build on their momentum and continue their winning streak.