Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty is urging her team to avoid making excuses as they return from the FIBA Women’s World Cup with only four games left before playoffs begin. Despite fatigue and jet lag, Ionescu emphasizes the need for continuous improvement rather than easing into the remaining season. The Liberty currently stand in a three-way tie for sixth place and face tough matchups including Minnesota and Toronto before finishing at home against Atlanta. Coach Chris DeMarco believes that competing in high-pressure international games could be beneficial for player development and performance.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
New York Liberty are gearing up for a crucial stretch run in the WNBA, with only four games left before the playoffs begin. The team, tied for sixth place at 24-16, recently returned from the FIBA Women’s World Cup, where many of its players competed. Despite this challenge, Sabrina Ionescu emphasizes that there's no room for excuses and the focus must remain on improving their performance to secure a playoff spot. The Liberty face tough games against the Minnesota Lynx and Toronto Temptation before hosting the Atlanta Dream twice at home. With only two game differences separating sixth place from eighth, every match is critical as the season winds down.
Written for “Liberty Football Team Performance” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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No political leaning scored for article 14981 · logged 2026-09-17
The FIBA Women’s World Cup break gave the Liberty little time to catch their breath.
asserted
break → give → breath
With more players competing in the tournament than any other WNBA team, the Liberty could have plenty of reasons for a sluggish return later this week.
uncertain
Liberty → compete → return
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asserted
you → get → things
tRY IT NOWSabrina Ionescu isn’t interested in hearing them.
asserted
Ionescu → try → them
Right now, two games separate fourth and eighth place in the WNBA standings.
asserted
games → separate → standings
When their season officially resumes Friday in Minnesota, New York will have only four games left to battle for playoff position.
asserted
York → resume → position
After facing the Lynx, the Liberty travel to Toronto for a matchup with the Tempo before hosting the final two games, both against the Atlanta Dream.
asserted
Liberty → face → Dream
That means there’s no time for excuses or to ease back into the season.
asserted
That → mean → season
The focus, instead, has to be less on what the team has gone through and more on continuing the climb they had started.
asserted
they → have → climb
“We have to continue to ascend,” Ionescu said after Wednesday’s practice.
asserted
Ionescu → have → practice
“We have to understand we can’t use these next four games as an opportunity for excuses.”
asserted
we → have → excuses
The Liberty felt like they were finally hitting their stride last month.
asserted
they → feel → stride
They won seven of their past 10 games.
asserted
They → win → games
Then, the WNBA season was put on ice.
asserted
season → put → ice
The team dispersed.
asserted
team → disperse → ?
Half went on brief vacations, and the other seven went to suit up for their respective national teams at the World Cup.
asserted
seven → go → Cup
The Liberty had five players in the championship and third-place games this past Sunday.
asserted
Liberty → have → games
Sure, some players might be tired after giving their all in Berlin.
uncertain
players → give → Berlin
But coach Chris DeMarco thinks there’s benefit to having so many players compete on one of the biggest international stages.
asserted
players → think → stages
“Every team is going through something similar right now,” he said.
asserted
he → go → something
“The fact that they were all playing in those championship games, the third-place game.
asserted
they → play → games
“But if you look at it in terms of them playing high-pressure games and playing in form over there, [it] could be a good thing for us.
uncertain
it → look → us
And I think we got a lot better in this gym, as well with the others who are here with us.”
asserted
who → think → us
Ionescu doesn’t want the Liberty to wait to flip the switch come playoff time because the teams most ready from the jump will win the seeding battle.
asserted
teams → want → battle
“Four games is going to go by really quick, and we have to keep building and chipping away to be the team that we want to be come playoff time,” Ionescu said.
asserted
Ionescu → go → time
“And so for us, it’s just kind of like winning the road trip and being the best we can, and then obviously protecting home court when we get back, and then a new season starts in a week and a half or whenever that is.”
asserted
that → ’ → week
The last time the WNBA went on a midseason hiatus was for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.
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WNBA → go → Games
But that monthlong break happened in late July and early August.
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break → happen → July
There was still a month left in the season when action resumed.
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action → be → season
The Liberty closed out the season winning 11 of their final 15 games before plowing through the playoffs to capture the franchise’s first WNBA Finals title.
asserted
Liberty → close → title
“It’s completely different,” Ionescu said.
asserted
Ionescu → ’ → ?
“With it being such a short amount of time, it’s just difficult.
asserted
it → ’ → time
Players can come back and be out of rhythm.
asserted
Players → come → rhythm
“Players can come back and be tired, fatigued.
asserted
Players → come → ?
They could be in a different rhythm because they play a different role with their [national] team, and so there’s so many variables.”
uncertain
they → play → team
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