WNBA New York Liberty

New York Liberty Game Notes: Game #8 at Los Angeles Sparks

June 6, 2016 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release


NEW YORK LIBERTY (4-3) at LOS ANGELES SPARKS (7-0)

Tuesday, June 7 - Staples Center - 10 PM (ET)

Broadcast: ESPN2

HEADLINES

- The Liberty opened up a three-game road trip with an 86-78 victory over the Seattle Storm at KeyArena on Sunday evening. Tina Charles led the way for New York, which had its most balanced team effort of the season with four players scoring in double figures. Charles had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Sugar Rodgers finished with 18, and Shavonte Zellous tallied 12 points off the bench.

- Tina Charles has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season. In three games last week, Charles helped lead the Liberty to a 2-1 record, while averaging 18.7 ppg, 11.0 rpg, and 3.3 apg. She currently leads the WNBA in scoring (21.4 ppg), rebounding (11.6 rpg) and minutes (35.6 mpg).

- Kiah Stokes had three more blocked shots in the win over Seattle, and currently ranks second in the WNBA with 2.3 blocks per game. She already ranks eighth in Liberty history with 83 career blocks in 41-career games played. Her swat of Breanna Stewart late in the 4th quarter on Sunday was No. 3 on SportsCenter's top-10 plays of the day.

- The Liberty leads the all-time series against the Sparks 21-19 and has won two in a row at the Staples Center. Last year's game was a low-scoring 59-53 New York victory.

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

TINA CHARLES - JUNE 6

Tina Charles was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the 16th time in her career on June 6. She led the Liberty to a 2-1 record the week before, averaging a double-double of 18.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, also dishing out 3.3 assists per contest. She scored in double figures in all three games, netting a high of 23 against the Minnesota Lynx.

SPORTSCENTER TOP-10 PLAYS - KIAH STOKES

Kiah Stokes turned in one of the best highlights of the WNBA season thus far, with her emphatic denial of a Breanna Stewart drive to the basket late in the Liberty's 86-78 win over the Seattle Storm on June 5. Stokes met Stewart near the basket and cleanly denied her from converting what at first appeared to be an easy two points. She checked in at No. 3 on the SportsCenter Top-10 plays list for that day.

BALANCING ACT

The Liberty enjoyed its most balanced offensive game of the season in the 86-78 victory over Seattle on June. 5. For the first time this year, New York saw four players score in double figures, led by Tina Charles' double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds. Sugar Rodgers chipped in 18 points, Shavonte Zellous tallied 12 points, and Brittany Boyd finished with 10.

SHE'S HEATING UP

Shavonte Zellous has been more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor over the past three games, posting double figures in each contest. Ranking third on the team averaging 8.7 ppg, Zellous finished with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting against Minnesota on May 31, and followed that up with a season-high 13 points against the Indiana Fever, converting 8-of-9 free throw attempts in addition to knocking down her first 3-pointer of the season. In the win over Seattle, she scored 12 points, and is averaging 12.3 ppg over the last three games.

CLAMP DOWN DEFENSE

Although the Liberty did allow 78 points in its win over the Storm on June 5, the contest did feature some of the best individual defensive efforts of the season. New York was able to lock in on Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart, limiting the pair to just 11 points on 4-of-20 shooting from the field. Loyd was held without a field goal, despite entering the game ranked third in the WNBA averaging 20.3 ppg. New York continues to lead the WNBA, limiting opposing teams to a field goal percentage of just .367.

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from June 6, 2016


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