Smoke and Mirrors: Expansion Portland Fire Stun the Short-Handed Liberty

With the primary playmakers unavailable, the offensive burden fell squarely on the shoulders of Breanna Stewart. The two-time MVP fought valiantly, dragging her team through the mud to finish with a game-high 25 points and 7 rebounds. However, Portland’s defense made her life miserable, limiting her to a frustrating 4-of-11 shooting night from the floor. Stewart essentially lived at the free-throw line, rescuing her stat line by sinking 15 of her 17 charity stripe attempts.

Aside from Stewart, the offense was largely a two-woman show. Marine Johannes provided a thrilling spark from deep, nailing five 3-pointers en route to 17 points and 6 assists, but also had 6 turnovers. Meanwhile, Jonquel Jones held down the paint with a rugged double-double, recording 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Unfortunately, the buck stopped there. The Liberty’s makeshift backcourt crumbled under Portland’s aggressive perimeter traps, as Johannes turned the ball over 6 times and the team struggled to find any semblance of a half-court rhythm.

The Expansion Spark: How Portland Out-Executed New York

The Portland Fire did not look like an expansion team on Monday night. They looked like a cohesive unit that smelled blood in the water.

Portland’s attack was spearheaded by French sensation Carla Leite, who carved up the Liberty’s defense for 18 points in just 22 minutes, while Megan Gustafson added a crucial 11 points, and Bridget Carleton and Teja Oblak chipped in 10 apiece.

The real anchor for the Fire, however, was Emily Engstler. Engstler put on a defensive clinic that disrupted New York’s entire game plan, filling the stat sheet with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals. Her ability to blow up passing lanes and challenge Jonquel Jones at the rim prevented the Liberty from establishing any sustained inside-out identity.

Why This Assembled Juggernaut is Stalling

Injuries and absences are an easy excuse, but for a team explicitly engineered to withstand the gauntlet of a WNBA season, this start is deeply concerning. Championship rosters are supposed to feature depth that can weather a temporary storm, especially at home against a brand-new expansion franchise.

Instead, the Liberty’s early-season issues run deeper than just missing Ionescu’s shooting:

The Depth Deficit: Beyond the core stars, the bench has offered minimal resistance. Against Portland, the supporting cast struggled to hit open looks and committed costly defensive lapses, proving that this roster is dangerously top-heavy.

Clunky Chemistry: Even when healthy earlier in the month, the offensive execution has looked stagnant. The team is relying far too heavily on individual brilliance rather than crisp, foundational ball movement.

The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for New York. They have a quick turnaround to regroup before hosting the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night. If the Liberty wants to transform from an early-season disappointment back into the championship favorites they were built to be, the coaching staff needs to find answers—and fast—regardless of who is healthy enough to put on the jersey.