New York Liberty Trying to Salvage Season After 5-11 Start
On Thursday, June 26, at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, New York Liberty Head Coach Bill Laimbeer was working diligently attempting to bring about a turnaround to the Liberty’s slow start with a 5-11 record this season.
With 18 games remaining in the regular season, the Liberty needs to right their wrongs quickly or they will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
With center Tina Charles averaging 16 points and nine rebounds per game, Guard Cappie Pondexter averaging 15 points, four rebounds and three assists per game with the eight points, four rebounds and four assists contributed by first-year WNBA player Anna Cruz, it would seem the Liberty’s season is certainly salvageable.
“Our offense is better than last year there is no question about that, we have improved as a team but the league has also improved,” emphasized second-year Head Coach Bill Laimbeer, who resides in White Plains during the season.
However, as Laimbeer also pointed out during practice, what is most notably missing from Liberty’s offense this year is a fourth scorer that they need for success. With forward Essence Carson still not back to full strength after missing last season due to a knee surgery, the Liberty must find a way to make up for her lack of scoring this year.
“We need another scorer. We need somebody else to step up as scorer that is what we are really lacking this season. Putting all the pressure on the big two we have (Charles and Pondexter) is tough on them,” stated Laimbeer.
Carson averaged 14 points per game last season and holds a career average of eight points per game. This year she has only managed averaging four points per game, while struggling to get her scoring rhythm back. “My timing and the flow of the game is just really off after not playing last year. But I am working diligently on and off the court with extra training,” commented Carson, who is still wearing a knee brace for added stability on the court.
During practice, as Laimbeer reviewed the slow start the Liberty is having this year, he almost scripted how they would lose the very next day to the Chicago Sky, 73-69, on Friday, June 27, at Madison Square Garden.
“In the early part of the season it was all the little things that got us including, not boxing-out, bad turnovers at the wrong time and missing open shots. Because of all these little things we lost a lot of close games, Laimbeer said.
The Liberty was losing by 13 points at halftime, 50-37, against the Sky. The Ladies of Liberty rallied in the third quarter to close the gap to 61-54. They then made it anybody’s game to win by getting within two points, 71-69, on a Charles layup.
But with 22 seconds left in the game with the Liberty down by two points, all that Laimbeer stressed must stop happening this season occurred once again. The Liberty got a great opportunity to take the lead when Sky’s guard Courtney Vandersloot traveled and made a crucial turnover.
Nevertheless, on the Liberty’s next possession, Plenette Pierson missed a driving layup that was partially blocked by Sky’s Sylvia Fowles. But Pierson’s shot was definitely makeable.
The Liberty got the rebound off Pierson’s miss and called timeout. With 18 seconds left in the game, the Liberty’s only option was to make a three-point shot to tie. Pondexter got open in the corner behind the arc but threw up an air ball and the Liberty lost, 71-69. As Laimbeer stated at practice the team is “missing open shots.”
Pondexter was in the line-up because Laimbeer needed her steady leadership on the court. But she was ailing from an Achilles injury and had not scored all game. In fact, she only took seven shots during the entire 33 minutes that she played against the Sky. So should she have taken that three-point shot at that time?
Pondexter worked closely with Liberty Trainer Laura Ramus on her Achilles and bounced back against the Connecticut Sun, on Sunday, June 29 at MSG. Pondexter shot 6- for-15 and scored 14 points in 36 minutes of play, as the Liberty got a much needed win against the Sun, 65-67.
“Right not we are just trying to get acclimated with each other and I think we are doing pretty well even though our record is not saying much. I think we are getting used to each other slowly,” commented Pondexter,
Montgomery’s contributions have helped the Liberty season. She is averaging over six points per game and four rebounds. Furthermore, she has scored in double-digits the Liberty’s last two games.
However, if a star for effort had to be awarded to a Liberty player for her performance so far, this season’s guard Anna Cruz would be wearing it. Cruz a formidable player in Spain came over to the United States and to the Liberty this year. She is a tough, experienced player who does not back down on the court.
Cruz’s play this season at point guard has kept the Liberty in many games. “I knew she was a competitor and that she was a ‘goodie’ player but I think overall what she has given us has been more than I expected,” evaluated Laimbeer.
While seeking that fourth scorer, the Liberty signed free agent forward Charde Houston, on June 23. Houston is a six-year WNBA veteran, who won a Championship with the Minnesota Lynx in 2011 and was voted to the 2009 WNBA All Star Team.
“I think we know what our position is moving forward. We made a great acquisition with Charde Houston, she has a lot of experience and she is a former All Star. I think she is going to give us some depth in the backcourt,” said Pondexter, a five-time WNBA All Star.
The Liberty has lost six games by five or less points this season. Therefore, if Carson, Houston, Montgomery or even guard Sugar Rogers could step-up in a consistent manner to help Charles, Pondexter on offense, the Liberty can certainly turn this season around.
