Liberty Poised to Finish Regular Season as No. 5 Seed as Title Defense Nears
Injuries and uneven defense have left the defending WNBA champions vulnerable as the playoffs approach in less than two weeks
SAN FRANCISCO — The New York Liberty appear on track to finish the regular season as the No. 5 seed, entering their title defense with lingering questions about consistency and defensive cohesion.
With the playoffs set to begin in less than two weeks, the Liberty have not consistently played like a championship-caliber team. Injuries to several key players have disrupted rotations and hampered defensive chemistry, contributing to uneven stretches that have kept New York from rising into the top tier of the standings.
The likely No. 5 seed reflects more than a single issue. The Liberty’s defense has shown signs of strain when missing veteran pieces, and the team has struggled to find a reliable way to close out tight games. In a season when the best teams typically find ways to win despite injuries and setbacks, New York has not delivered those consistent responses.
Seeding in the league is determined by regular-season results and, where needed, tiebreakers. Dropping to the No. 5 spot would place the Liberty outside the top four, affecting matchup dynamics and the distribution of home-court advantages in the opening rounds of the postseason.
Coaching staff and front-office officials have emphasized that regular-season positioning can be secondary to momentum and health heading into the playoffs. For the Liberty, recovering a settled rotation and restoring defensive communication will be priorities in the remaining days before the postseason. If the team can regain the form that carried it to a championship last season, regular-season inconsistencies may be rendered moot.
Still, the current trajectory underscores the thin margin between a dominant title defense and a more precarious postseason path. The Liberty’s remaining schedule and outcomes over the final regular-season games will determine whether they can climb in the standings or settle into the No. 5 seed. If they advance deep into the playoffs, the narrative about their regular-season struggles will likely be eclipsed by postseason results; if not, the problems that surfaced down the stretch — injuries, defensive lapses and an inconsistent ability to close — will be scrutinized as the franchise evaluates how to defend a title under the pressure of repeating.
As the league moves toward the playoffs, New York will need healthier rotations and steadier defensive play to alter its seeding outlook. For now, the combination of missed time for key contributors and intermittent defensive breakdowns makes the No. 5 seed the most likely outcome heading into the postseason.