WNBA semifinals: Newly minted MVP Breanna Stewart throws block party to even series 1-1 with Sun

NEW YORK — It was a block party for Breanna Stewart’s MVP celebration and none of her five was more deafening inside Barclays Center than her last one late in the third quarter. It drew MVP chants from the sold-out crowd of 10,000 fans that were, to that point, the loudest of the night.

When the New York Liberty fans had dispersed from Barclays, an 84-77 victory in hand that tied the WNBA semifinals series against the Connecticut Sun, 1-1, it drew a marveling from Stewart. Her five tied the franchise record for blocks in a playoff game and the stat-stuffing performance capped a long, emotional day in Brooklyn for both sides of the series.

At shootaround, Liberty players watched a video montage voiced over by Liberty legend Teresa Weatherspoon on the big screen. It was in honor of Stewart being named the 2023 WNBA MVP and was the first time they heard the news. Jonquel Jones jumped up and down, hugging Stewart with excitement as the message became clear.

The league publicly announced it a couple of hours later, creating jubilation for the Liberty and a crushing blow to the Sun. MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas earned more first-place votes, but not enough second-place ones and lost to Stewart by seven points.

Two hours before tipoff, Stewart accepted the award from WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert with her family, including her daughter, Ruby. The 2-year-old took center stage, picking up a phone, walking up the stairs to Engelbert and roaming with her tongue out.

“Parenting is hard,” Stewart quipped, picking Ruby up into her arms, a signal of how much changed since she won her first MVP in 2018.

The crowd watched the same video Liberty players saw earlier in the day during a short pregame ceremony, and Stewart again accepted the trophy and posed for photos. Then she left it behind and locked in for Game 2, a near must-win on their home court before the best-of-five series shifts to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. She posted an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double with five blocks, five assists and two steals.

“I was trying to compartmentalize things,” Stewart said. “Obviously, it was a very emotional day, a very happy day, but a lot of things [were] going on and [it was] a huge game for us. But I relied on my teammates, and I think that’s really it is [that] they continued to have my back on and off the court and, and helped make an impact in this game until I can kind of like find my way a little bit.”

Jones, who won MVP with the Sun in 2021, again paced the Liberty early with nearly a double-double in the first half. She scored the first seven points for New York to finish with 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Sun took an early 12-point lead, and the Liberty went into a zone defense, a large part of Stewart’s blocks, to spark their free-flowing ball movement on offense.

“We knew we had to win this game, to win on our home court,” Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said. “We’re just pushing each other [and] you could see a very connected team today.”

Within minutes of tip, Stewart blocked Thomas and later DeWanna Bonner, the Sun’s other scoring star. In the second, she blocked Olivia Nelson-Ododa. And in the third, she blocked Thomas and Nelson-Ododa again. The last block was with a nine-point lead, 59-50, at the four-minute mark.

The Liberty appeared poised to break away with the momentum, but the Sun scored seven straight points to trail by one possession, 59-57, heading into the fourth quarter.

“New York’s a really good team, and we withstood their punches and we were right there,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said.

It’s what they had done all game, led by Tiffany Hayes’ arena-quieting answers from the 3-point line. Hayes was 5-of-8 from beyond the arc for a game-high 30 points. She said she had the same mindset as any other game, but also knew she wanted to win it and support Thomas. Her jumper on an assist from Bonner cut the deficit to five with eight minutes to play.

Betnijah Laney, who had 20 points, including five 3s, gave up her own shot for Courtney Vandersloot to drain a long 2 in the corner. On the next offensive possession, the point guard hit Stewart for her first 3-pointer of the series and only second of the four-game postseason.

That was what took the crown for loudest roar of the night for the first MVP in franchise history.

“It was huge for me, for the momentum of the game, and [it] just helped everything, and to see my teammates react, it was exciting,” Stewart said.

The 10-point lead was the largest of the game for the Liberty. Laney hit two 3s in the final four minutes and the Sun never came closer than five. All five Liberty starters were in double-digit points with at least two rebounds and two assists. Sabrina Ionescu scored a team-high 21, but with only one 3-pointer. Vandersloot had 19 points.

Brondello said the day was most emotional for Stewart and though she didn’t score in droves, she competed with effort and leadership.

“That’s what she does. You know, that’s why she’s MVP,” Jones said. “She can affect the game in so many different ways. Her mindset is always right. And she understands that it’s not just about scoring, but there’s so many different ways that she can just help the team out and lead by example.”

Both Brondello and White praised all three players in the MVP race, which included Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, and said the buzz around the award was good for the league. It also showed the talent level in the league now and how far it’s come to have so many viable candidates.

But for as excited as Liberty teammates were for Stewart, the Sun players were equally as crushed that Thomas, who advocated for her candidacy down the stretch, did not win. Thomas finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and a steal. Bonner, who is also Thomas’ fiancée, had trouble answering how the team individually handled those emotions.

“That was tough for her [and] tough for our team, but we came out and we played for her tonight,” Bonner said. “We didn’t get the win. We’re gonna continue to play for her.

“It was just a really emotional day for us as a team.”

White said ahead of the game that since the news broke after the Sun’s shootaround, she hadn’t seen everyone on the team yet to gauge emotions. Wilson said when she received a call from Aces head coach Becky Hammon that she didn’t win a second consecutive MVP, she told her, “give me 24 hours and I’m here.”

Thomas was also a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year, which was awarded to Wilson last week. The 10-year veteran has not won either of the major awards in her career, all spent in successful seasons with Connecticut, though the Sun have yet to win a title.

“Everybody was just so emotionally invested, especially her, especially the season that she had,” Bonner, who had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists, said. “And she didn’t even [win] Defensive Player of the Year either. So you know, it was kind of like a double whammy back-to-back, which sucked.”

As for those fans roaring at Barclays for their MVP, and No. 2 overall seed, Bonner said, “nothing beats playing in this arena in Brooklyn.” Then she delivered another message for fans of her team’s MVP.

“Connecticut, we’re coming home, so be ready,” she said. Game 3 is on Friday with the winner one victory away from the Finals.