If WNBA games lasted 20 minutes, the Liberty would be in very good shape in their attempt to make the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Libs, there are 40 minutes, and the team has struggled mightily in the second half of games this year. Star Cappie Pondexter said she hopes the Liberty show up when it matters tonight when they play the San Antonio Silver Stars (7:30, ESPN2) at the Garden.
“I would have to say we haven’t been the best in closing out games in our losses,” said Pondexter, who was named Eastern Conference player of the week yesterday after averaging 22 points, six assists, 4.3 rebounds and a league-leading 37.7 minutes as the Liberty went 2-1 on the road. “It’s definitely something we have to pay attention to as a team, why we are losing these games in the last couple of minutes.”
In Sunday’s loss in Atlanta, the Libs had a 72-71 lead with under three minutes to go, but were outscored 11-3 the rest of the way. And the three points they scored came on a meaningless buzzer-beater by Leilani Mitchell.
“It got away from us in the last three minutes,” Pondexter said. “It was a one-point game with three minutes to go, and we kind of let up defensively. We had a couple bad turnovers, and it went downhill from that point.”
In four of the Liberty’s 11 losses this season, they led at the half; in three, they led after the third quarter; and in four, they had a lead in the fourth quarter.
The Liberty’s 11-11 record would be good enough for second place in the Western Conference, but in the ultra-competitive East, it leaves them tied for last place with the Chicago Sky (12-12), one game out of playoff position. San Antonio is 8-14 and in third in the Western Conference.
“I think it’s gonna be a very intense game because both teams are fighting to make the playoffs,” Pondexter said. “We definitely need this win coming off the loss.”
In their only meeting this year, the Liberty beat the Silver Stars in San Antonio, 77-71.