The New York Liberty host the Washington Mystics on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with the matchup arriving at a sharp moment for both teams. New York brings a six-game winning streak into the game and sits at 9-4, while Washington comes in at 4-6.
That is why Mystics vs. Liberty is drawing attention now: the Liberty have moved up to the No. 3 seed after the run of wins, and Breanna Stewart is coming off a strong Thursday night showing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a 104-90 victory over the Atlanta Dream. The game will air on NBA TV and stream on DIRECTV and fuboTV, both of which offer free trials for viewers who want to watch live.
New York's recent form has been built on balance as much as star power. Against Atlanta, the Liberty shot 54% overall, finished 16 of 31 from 3-point range and had five players score at least 16 points for the first time in franchise history. Stewart was joined by Jonquel Jones, Marine Johannes, Pauline Astier and Satou Sabally in a performance that showed how many ways the Liberty can score when the shots are falling.
The Mystics do have a clear opening, though, because a 4-6 record leaves little room for another lost chance against a top seed. Washington is walking into a building where the Liberty are already settled into their best stretch of the season, and the difference between those records is what gives Sunday’s game its edge: New York can keep building, while Washington needs a result that changes the story quickly.
The next confirmed step is simple. The teams meet Sunday at 3 p.m. ET in Brooklyn, and the Liberty will have a chance to extend the streak that has pushed them into the No. 3 spot.
