Path To The No. 1 Seed: New York Liberty


The New York Liberty have enjoyed quite the year. After finishing 15-19 in 2014, head coach Bill Laimbeer has guided the Liberty to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They’ve gained homecourt advantage throughout the Eastern Conference portion of the playoffs, and they’re hoping to clinch the best record in the league, which would give them homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.

Along the way, they’ve had a number of fun moments and they’re sure to have at least a few more before the 2015 season is finished. Let’s take a look at some of the top moments from the New York Liberty’s season.

Tina Charles 101

Tina Charles, who has become one of the league’s most consistent stars during her six-year career, is a huge reason why New York has experienced a ton of success this season. She’s been dominant in the post and has established a reputation as one of the best players on the block.

Earlier in the year, she detailed her style of play, where she hails from and what style of music best describes her play.

Stokes Sets Single-Game Block Record

Liberty rookie Kiah Stokes has been impressive in her first year in the league – making an impact on both ends of the floor. She’s quickly become one of the best shot blockers in the league and is second to only Brittney Griner in that category.

During a game against Connecticut, Stokes set the single-game blocks record for the Liberty by swatting eight shots.

Tina Charles Hook Shot

Tina Charles and scoring on the low block are synonymous at this point in her career, but perhaps her most signature move is her hook shot.

How exactly does she practice that particular shot? Like any of the best players in the league, Charles spends ample amounts of time crafting her hook shot during practice. Take an all-access look at Charles’ hook shot practice routine.

Liberty Induct Becky Hammon Into Ring Of Honor

Former WNBA great Becky Hammon had a wonderful career for the San Antonio Stars and the New York Liberty. Now, she’s well on her way to having a wonderful career as a coach. Over the summer she made history by becoming the first female head coach in the NBA Summer League.

Much like her WNBA career, she wasn’t satisfied just being with the team. Instead, she guided the Spurs to an NBA Summer League title. But those were not the only accolades she received this summer. The Liberty inducted Hammon into their Ring of Honor in a special ceremony on August 1.

New York Tops Phoenix In Tightly Contested Battle

The New York Liberty squared off against the Phoenix Mercury in what very well could end up being a preview of the WNBA Finals. And, like one would expect, it didn’t disappoint. The Liberty and Mercury stayed close throughout much of the game, but it was an Epiphanny Prince layup with 1.8 seconds left that gave New York the 75-73 win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4_fhJgCSOM

Prince Scores 30 In Return To Chicago

Epiphanny Prince was a major catalyst in New York’s surge to the top of the Eastern Conference. When the Liberty traveled to Chicago on August 7, she had her first chance to take on her former team.

Simply put, Prince was phenomenal. She dropped 30 points and lifted the Liberty to an impressive 77-63 win on the road. She followed up that performance with a 22-point game just days later at home against the same Sky team.

Liberty Clinch Playoff Berth

After two years of watching the playoffs from their own living rooms, the New York Liberty finally made it back into the postseason. Head coach Bill Laimbeer’s squad has been impressive and has established itself as one of the strongest defensive teams in the league.

The Liberty knocked off the Lynx 81-68 behind 18 points and 11 rebounds from Tina Charles and earned its first playoff berth since 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6PLvc1Ikjc