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WNBA New York Liberty

New York Liberty Game Notes: Game #4 vs. Atlanta Dream

May 23, 2016 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release


New York Liberty (2-1) vs. Atlanta Dream (2-1)

Tuesday, May 24 - Madison Square Garden - 11 AM

Broadcast: MSG Network/NBATV

Headlines

- New York is coming off a 79-72 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday evening. Prior to that setback, the Liberty had won its previous four overtime games, including both regular season overtime contests last season.

- Tina Charles has led New York in scoring and rebounding in all three games this season, and is averaging 21.7 ppg and 12.7 rpg. Charles has posted a double-double in all three contests, ranking 5th in the WNBA in scoring, and 1st in rebounding.

- The Liberty has fared well in recent meetings with the Atlanta Dream, having won seven of the last eight contests, including 4-of-5 matchups last season. New York is 12-4 all-time against the Dream at Madison Square Garden, and has won five-straight home games in the series dating back to 2014.

- Sugar Rodgers is the other Liberty player to have scored in double figures in all three games this season. She finished with 13 points and a pair of 3-pointers in the overtime loss to Los Angeles. Rodgers leads New York with 11 3-pointers.

- Lindsey Harding made her first start as a member of the Liberty on Saturday night against the Sparks. She tied for the team lead with four assists, and currently ranks fifth in the league with 5.3 apg.

HARDING MAKES FIRST START

Veteran point guard Lindsey Harding made her first start as a member of the New York Liberty against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 21. Harding has been very effective sharing the basketball so far this season, having led or tied for the team lead in assists in all three games. This year, she ranks fifth in the league, averaging 5.3 apg, and for her career she is 15th all-time with 4.2 apg.

STOKES ALREADY CLOSING IN ON THE TOP-10

It did not take long for Kiah Stokes to establish herself as a premier defender in the WNBA, and she is already closing in on the top-10 in Liberty history in blocked shots. After denying four attempts against Los Angeles on May 21, Stokes increased her career tally to 74, needing just six more blocks to tie for 10th place in New York history. She is second in the league with 2.3 bpg so far this season.

THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

Forward Tina Charles has posted a double-double in all three games this year, leading the Liberty in scoring in rebounding in every contest. With 17 points and 16 rebounds against Los Angeles on May 21, Charles recorded the 112th double-double of her career, second all-time in league history, and she has posted a double-double in 55.7 percent of her games played as a pro. Her career 10.2 rebounds per game are first all time, while her career scoring average of 17.3 ppg is 10th.

LEAN ON ME

In New York, Tina Charles has had some of the highest usage numbers in the league, and so far the 2016 season is no exception. Through three games, Charles has used 34.7 percent of the Liberty's offensive plays when she is on the court, the highest rate in the league. Obviously all of the attention is warranted as she is posting an impressive Player Impact Estimate of 24.5, which ranks second in the league for players averaging at least 10 minutes per game.

RED HOT RODGERS

Fourth-year guard Sugar Rodgers capped off an impressive start to the 2016 season by scoring a career-high 24 points to go along with a career-best six 3-pointers in the Liberty's 79-71 win over Dallas on May 15. Rodgers is coming off a season in which she ranked third on the team in scoring (8.1 ppg) and led the Liberty in 3-point shooting, hitting 41 triples. She already has 11 3-pointers through three games this season, and currently ranks 9th in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 18.7 ppg.

BIG REBOUNDING NUMBERS

Tina Charles hauled in 16 rebounds against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 21, the most rebounds for any WNBA player so far this season. She is averaging 12.7 rpg, which leads the league.

Check out the New York Liberty Statistics



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 23, 2016


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