Game Recap: New York Liberty 85, Los Angeles Sparks 81 (08/13/2026)
The Sparks fell to Liberty 85-81.
Video Transcript
The New York Liberty are seven and three in their last 10 games, playing host to an LA Sparks squad that has lost two straight games.
We pick up action in the first, and after a steal by Pauline Astier, we go the other way, and it leads to a lay up by Brianna Stewart.
But really, it's the pass here from Sabrina Ionescu setting it up, a gorgeous little dive.
Stewart had 11 points in the game, and New York had a two-point lead.
On the other end, it's Cameron Brink getting it in the mid post, taking it in for the jumper.
She knocks that one down, and New York's lead is sitting at 13 to 10.
Rebecca Allen drives and finds Jonquel Jones inside for the reverse lay up.
How about a first half double double?
10 points and 12 rebounds in the first half for Jones.
New York up by seven.
After a steal on one end, Dearica Hamby just cruising the other way for the lay up.
She had 16 in the game.
That cut New York's lead down to six.
Game clock ticking.
Ionescu cross-court to Stewart.
Extra pass over to Rebecca Allen in the corner.
The Liberty win the second quarter by a score of 28 to 16 to take a 17-point lead to the locker room.
It's 49-32 at the break.
We go to the third.
Ionescu gets the pass, drives, gets the roll on the wild little floater here.
She had 20 in the game, and New York led by 26 after the third quarter, and they took a 28-point lead at one point.
But Rae Burrell, other ideas.
Knocks down a three in transition.
Then mid-range friendly roll on this one.
Watch it one more time, getting it up and over the hand of Stewart to get that one to drop.
That cut the lead down to 12.
Nneka Ogwumike gets it to the hot hand.
Burrell hits a triple there.
The Sparks on a 21-nothing run.
How about more from Burrell?
Knocking down the three, and it's just a four-point game.
Remember, they were down 28.
That would match the largest comeback in WNBA history if they can pull it off.
Great ball movement leads to a three-point attempt from Stewart.
It's blocked by Burrell, but Jones, a genius, just taps it over to Marine Johannes, who hits the shot just before the shot clock buzzer.
She had 10 in the game.
That pushes New York's lead up to five.
Burrell recovers a loose ball, the cut spin, she drives baseline, lays it in with less than 30 seconds to go, and it's a one-point game.
She had 28 in this one.
Three-point game after a couple made free throws.
Inbound to Hamby, who feeds to Arike Ogunbowale.
For a three, she misses the potential tying shot.
The Liberty hold on for a four-point win despite losing the fourth quarter 40 to 18.
The Sparks fall just short of that historic comeback.
Your final score in this one, 85 to 81.
