NY Liberty vs. LA Sparks preview: New York looks to extend its winning streak

The New York Liberty, concluding their July home schedule, aim to extend their winning streak to six games after defeating the Phoenix Mercury for their fifth consecutive victory. They face the Los Angeles Sparks, who recently began a road trip with a win against the Connecticut Sun, extending their own streak to four games. The game will be broadcast on My9 (TV), Liberty Live and Fox Local (streaming), and WNBA League Pass, with tip-off after 7 PM.

Injury updates include Nyara Sabally being out for the Liberty, with no other players listed. For the Sparks, Cameron Brink (recovering from a 2024 ACL tear) has been upgraded to doubtful, signaling progress in her rehabilitation. The Liberty won the teams' first meeting earlier this month.

Key player matchups feature Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, third in WNBA scoring (20.1 ppg), who needs to improve her 52.3% finishing at the rim to boost Los Angeles' playoff chances. She faces Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, praised for her balance between scoring and playmaking. Additionally, Jonquel Jones' versatile impact (shooting, interior presence, defense) will challenge Sparks forward Azura Stevens—enjoying a career-best season—in Brink's absence.

Sparks forward Rickea Jackson, returning from personal time off, emphasized her aggressive, pace-driven approach as crucial to her performance. Though she's attempting more threes (shooting 27.6%), the team supports her development through experimentation. Meanwhile, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart seeks to recover from a 3-12 shooting night and sub-20% three-point accuracy this season, aiming to leverage her defensive prowess against the playoff-hopeful Sparks.