Liberty's Stewart (knee) a game-time call for G2

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Liberty prima Breanna Stewart volition beryllium a "game-time decision" for Game 2 of New York's first-round WNBA playoff bid against the Phoenix Mercury connected Wednesday, manager Sandy Brondello said connected Tuesday pursuing the team's signifier astatine Barclays Center.

Stewart injured her near genu during Game 1 connected Sunday, which the Liberty won successful overtime to instrumentality a 1-0 pb successful their best-of-three series.

Stewart attended signifier connected Tuesday but did not participate. She walked without a noticeable limp and wore a grey compression sleeve connected her near leg.

The Liberty, the No. 5 effect and defending WNBA champions, did not marque Stewart disposable to the media.

Brondello told reporters that scans of Stewart's genu were "relatively clean," but did not supply specifics of the injury.

"She's tough," Brondello said of Stewart. "I deliberation 1 of her superpowers is her intelligence toughness, truthful if she's capable to go, she'll go."

With conscionable implicit 3 minutes near successful overtime, Stewart caught a walk successful the corner. She drove past the Mercury's Alyssa Thomas connected the baseline, planted with her near leg, and finished a layup implicit 2 Phoenix defenders. Satou Sabally fouled her connected the play.

As Stewart went up, she already appeared to beryllium grimacing. After falling to the ground, she clutched her near knee, successful evident pain. Liberty teammates Leonie Fiebich and Sabrina Ionescu helped Stewart to her feet, and she was capable to locomotion nether her ain power. She missed the escaped propulsion and stayed successful the game.

After astir a infinitesimal of crippled time, Stewart requested a sub. She near the level astatine the 2:07 people and did not return. She finished Game 1 with 18 points, six rebounds and 4 assists. Stewart missed 13 games earlier this play with a bony bruise successful her close knee.

Ionescu downplayed the situation of preparing for Game 2 amid the uncertainty astir Stewart's availability.

"The same, similar we've approached each crippled this year," Ionescu said. "It's thing caller to us, to beryllium wholly honest. We're good equipped. I deliberation the regular play truly prepared america for this moment, and we've got to power the things that we tin and spell retired determination and triumph connected our location court."

The Liberty person been sacked with injuries each play long. Forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton injured her genu during the offseason and missed the full season. Center Jonquel Jones has missed 13 games this season. Ionescu, Fiebich and Cloud person besides missed a fistful of games.

"I deliberation it's been the MO of our play this year, conscionable facing adversity," Jones said. "I deliberation we've done a truly bully occupation of staying unneurotic and learning from it."

Stewart, a two-time WNBA MVP, leads the Liberty successful points per crippled (18.3), blocks per crippled (1.4) and steals per crippled (1.4). She is 2nd successful rebounding with 6.6 per game