LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Sparks were no match for the powerful New York Liberty in their first game back from the WNBA’s Olympic break.
Breanna Stewart scored 27 points as the Liberty rolled to a 103–68 victory Thursday night. New York has now topped Los Angeles in three straight meetings this season. The Liberty has also won eight in a row against the Sparks since Aug. 2, 2022.
The Liberty came out hot in the opening quarter, building a 10–0 lead in the first three minutes of the contest. Jonquel Jones scored five of those points for New York, including a 24-foot 3-pointer to make it 5–0. The Sparks cut it to 10-3, but the Liberty answered with seven straight points to go up 17–3. Stewart scored three points during that stretch.
New York’s Kayla Thornton knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to bump the lead to 29–10 after one quarter.
The Liberty continued its onslaught in the second quarter. Sabrina Ionescu drilled a 28-foot 3-pointer and tallied back-to-back free throws to help push New York’s advantage to 38–10.
The Sparks briefly came alive on offense. Backed by eight combined points from Dearica Hamby and Kia Nurse, Los Angeles faced a 44–20 deficit with 5:15 left in the half. Rae Burrell knocked down four free throws in less than a minute to cut the Sparks’ deficit to 46–26 with 3:21 left. New York, however, answered with an 11–2 run to take a 57–28 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Liberty pushed the lead to 31 points when Ionescu hit a long 3-pointer to make it 64–33 with 8:13 left. Stewart knocked down three 3-pointers in less than a minute to put New York up 77–40. The Liberty took an 82–48 lead into the fourth quarter.
Ionescu chipped in 18 points and six assists for the Liberty. Thornton added 16 points, while Jones contributed nine points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Hamby finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and two steals to lead the Sparks. Burrell scored 15 points off the bench.
