00:00The Liberty got off to a hot start to kick the season off with a franchise best 9-0 start.
00:05But since then, they have completely cooled down over the past two and a half weeks.
00:10So let's talk some hoops.
00:11Maddie Kenny, our Liberty beat writer for the Post, is on to break down what's going on with the defending champs.
00:17So, Maddie, what's going on?
00:18Thanks for hopping on with this.
00:19Let's get straight into this because the people need answers.
00:22They've dropped five of their past seven games.
00:24Natasha Cloud said that the people, the doubters, need to take a chill pill so it doesn't look like there's any panic kind of going on in the locker room.
00:33But do we need to take a chill pill, though, Maddie?
00:35Or is something really going on with this team right now?
00:38I feel like we're at an inflection point right now where, you know, you can understand losing five of the last seven just given the circumstances.
00:45The fact that they were down not only Leonie Fibich, who was overseas playing Eurobasket, but they were also without Jonquo Jones.
00:53Sabrina had that kink in her neck where she wasn't able to move side to side fully and didn't have her full range of motion in her neck.
01:00And so I think that a lot of those factors maybe played into this, like, snowball effect.
01:05Also, when you look at the way that they played, they played hard.
01:08Offensively, overall, they were good.
01:11Defensively is where you saw the biggest lapses or the biggest issues.
01:14But when you think about the impact that Fibich and Jonquo Jones have on that end of the floor, I mean, it kind of makes a little bit of sense when you're missing two of the most important people in your defensive schemes that you're going to see sliding on that side of the floor.
01:29So I think right now they deserve the benefit of the doubt given the circumstances, the championship caliber, all of that.
01:35But we are hitting a point where if they do not figure it out soon during this homestand, then it's time to start sounding the alarms.
01:43All right. Well, since you broke it down like that, I'll be sure to take my chill pill when I take my meds later.
01:48But you did mention Sabrina.
01:50She hasn't scored 20 points or more in her last four games.
01:55She's a walking 20 on the bad day.
01:58How do they get her going again?
02:01Yeah, I think, you know, when I talked to her after the Golden State win, and she said that that kind of impacted her ability to, like, really get out and transition.
02:11Because when you can't turn your head, you can't see, like, you're just looking based off of your perennial and stuff like that.
02:16So that kind of led to some of her issues.
02:18And also, it messes with your shot form.
02:22You know, she didn't have such a fluid stroke and stuff like that.
02:26And so I think that, you know, she was slowly getting better as the road trip went along.
02:32I think a few nights in her own bed will do her well and not being crammed on a plane.
02:36And she said yesterday she feels good.
02:38So I think it's just a matter of time, maybe even tonight, against L.A., that we kind of see this, like, Sabrina getting back to Sabrina.
02:45And the reason why she was named an all-star this season.
02:48Well, you mentioned they play L.A. tonight.
02:49Is this the game that the Liberty, I guess, get their mojo back?
02:53I think so.
02:54You're home again.
02:56You know, you have Leo back.
02:58It just kind of seems like this is a time to really set the tone for this eight-game homestand and make a point that, yeah, we know we lost five of the last seven.
03:08That's not great.
03:09That's not ideal.
03:10But with Leo back in the fold and everything, I think that this is where we start to see them turn it back on, turn back on the Jets and kind of push forward and show that they are a championship-caliber team.
03:20Before I let you go, Jonquil Jones said that she feels like she was snubbed out of a spot in the all-star game.
03:27She's only played in nine games this season.
03:30She balled in all nine of them, but it's still only nine games was she snubbed.
03:34It's so tough to talk about these things because when you look at her sample size, 100%, she should be an all-star starter.
03:42But when you take into consideration that she's only played nine games, she's projected to be out until around the all-star break.
03:50I understand why she was left off certain ballots or why maybe she didn't get those all-star votes.
03:55And I think she also understands, too, you know, when you do have an injury and stuff like that and you're not able to play and be on the court and be available to help your team, you do lose an opportunity to be an all-star.
04:10So I don't think she's – I think she's just upset about the situation.
04:13I don't think she's necessarily upset about the voters.
04:16And, you know, she has her fingers crossed about the reserves that come out in three days.
04:20Maybe she'll get in that way.
04:21But, you know, the current circumstance doesn't really help her situation.
04:25All right, Maddie, thanks for hopping on with us.
04:27Enjoy the game tonight.
04:29Thanks so much for having me.
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