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Four games into the Valkyries’ inaugural season, the Liberty delivered the WNBA’s newest team the coldest “welcome to the league” moment yet.
The Liberty overpowered the Valkyries in almost every way in Tuesday’s 95-67 romping.
Breanna Stewart scored a game-high 24 points and Jonquel Jones recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the blowout win.
The Liberty showed no mercy from start to finish.
They bullied the Valkyries like a varsity team beating on the freshmen.
With every swish of the net, the home crowd roared with joy.
Marine Johannès sank two of her career-high six 3s in the final 2:32.
The French Magician finished with 18 points.
The Liberty went on a 22-3 run in the first seven minutes of the game and never looked back.
They led by as many as 25 points.
The Valkyries managed to trim it to an 11-point game at one point in the third, but that would be the closest they would get.
Seven of the eight Liberty players who attempted a 3 made at least one.
They combined to go 14-for-35 from deep.
Johannès, who had been passive in the past two games, reminded fans why she’s called the “Magician.”
She was as aggressive as she was in the preseason.
At one point, she called for Isabelle Harrison to set a screen only for Johannès to dribble by before pulling up for a 3.
With the Valkyries scrambling, the Liberty were able to play their starters less than normal. In fact, the starters sat for the final 3:15 while the reserves got an extended run.
Ultimately, the game went about as anticipated.
After all, the defending champions are by far the more superior team than their counterparts. Not only do the Liberty have the league’s best starting lineup, but their bench unit is also among the WNBA’s best.
Meanwhile, the Valkyries have a mishmash roster of role players and rookies, and Monique Billings (right foot), Tiffany Hayes (nose) and Cecilia Zandalasini (right foot) were sidelined.
The Valkyries may have been the perfect appetizer for the Liberty, who embarked on a tough stretch of the schedule, with four games in six days.
The Liberty are scheduled to host the Valkyries again on Thursday at Barclays Center before traveling to Washington, D.C. to play the Mystics Friday.
They also are set to host the Sun on Sunday.
