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Oftentimes, superstars dwell on their shortcomings rather than their accomplishments. It is a brutal but key part of the anguish that the greats endure in order to reach the apex of their respective sport. They must also have a short memory, though. Neither Breanna Stewart nor head coach Sandy Brondello had any intention of harping on the countless blunders the New York Liberty committed in their shocking collapse to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals.
It was especially vital for Stewart to move forward, considering she had a chance to secure the win late in regulation and extend the game in overtime. Brondello knows better than to single anyone out, however. She is also keenly aware that the team would not be competing for its first championship without the prolific winner leading the way.
The longtime coach emphasized a message that appeared to shine brightly in the aftermath of Thursday's bitter defeat, and during Sunday's desperately-needed 80-66 victory.
“‘Look, this is not on you. This is on us.'” the 2014 WNBA champion told the two-time Finals MVP after the Liberty blew an 18-point lead, per ESPN's Michael Voepel. “We win together as a team, we lose together as a team. There's no pointing fingers. We all could have done things better. It hurts, but what are we going to do about it? We have to pick Stewie up. One thing about Stewie, she bounces back pretty quick.”
Breanna Stewart answers the call for Liberty
Stewart did indeed rally from her Game 1 pitfalls and helped New York enforce its will on both ends of the court. She scored 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting to go with eight rebounds, five assists and a stellar seven steals versus the Lynx, as the Liberty stayed on top from start to finish in Game 2. The best players in the league need to be prepared to put the team on their back even after a historic loss.
With the pressure at a noticeably high level, the milestone-making Stewart delivered in the Barclays Center. The face of the Liberty fully understands the responsibility she carries, and the highs and lows that come with it.
“I can't strive to be the best, to be great, but then be afraid to fail,” Stewart said. “This is what happens when you put yourself in high-stress, important situations. You face possible failure. Yeah, I was upset because we could have won [Thursday's] game. But I'm happy I took the shots. Throughout this entire process, my team has my back every step of the way.”
New York will try to snatch back home-court advantage when it faces Minnesota in the Target Center in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night.
