2018 New York Liberty season

The 2018 WNBA season is the 22nd season for the New York Liberty franchise of the WNBA. The season tips off on May 20.[1] During the off-season the Liberty hired Katie Smith as head coach. Smith replaced Bill Laimbeer, who left to coach the Las Vegas Aces.[2] It was also announced in the offseason that the team would play its home games at the Westchester County Center.[3]

2018 New York Liberty season
CoachKatie Smith
ArenaWestchester County Center
Attendance2,823 per game
Results
Record7–27 (.206)
Place5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Team Leaders
PointsTina Charles - 19.7 ppg
ReboundsTina Charles - 7.0 rpg
AssistsBrittany Boyd - 5.3 apg
Media
TelevisionMSG Network (MSG), MSG Plus (MSG+)

The 2018 season ended up being a difficult one for the Liberty. After having achieved a 22-win season in 2017, the team could only muster 7 wins in 2018. The team started 1–2 in May, but quickly fell behind the playoff pace going 3–9 in June. Things did not improve in July when the team went 3–7. The team finished the season on a thirteen-game losing streak, including an 0–9 August to finish the season 7–27. This was the franchise's worst record in its history. The previous worst was 11–23 in 2013.

Transactions

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WNBA draft

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Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
1 10 Kia Nurse   Canada Connecticut
2 22 Mercedes Russell   United States Tennessee
3 34 Leslie Robinson   United States Princeton

Trades/Roster Changes

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Date Details
February 9, 2018 Re-Signed G Bria Hartley[4]
February 9, 2018 Re-Signed C Kia Vaughn[4]
February 9, 2018 Re-Signed F Rebecca Allen[4]
February 9, 2018 Re-Signed G Lindsay Allen[4]
May 1, 2018 Signed G Marissa Coleman[5]

Roster

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2018 New York Liberty roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs
G/F 9   Allen, Rebecca 6' 2" (1.88m) 162 lb (73kg) 11-06-1992 Australia 3
G 15   Boyd, Brittany 5' 9" (1.75m) 156 lb (71kg) 06-11-1993 California 3
F/C 31   Charles, Tina 6' 4" (1.93m) 192 lb (87kg) 12-05-1988 Connecticut 8
G/F 0   Coleman, Marissa 6' 1" (1.85m) 160 lb (73kg) 01-04-1987 Maryland 9
G 8   Hartley, Bria 5' 8" (1.73m) 148 lb (67kg) 09-30-1992 Connecticut 4
G 5   Nurse, Kia 6' 0" (1.83m) 02-22-1996 Connecticut R
G 10   Prince, Epiphanny 5' 9" (1.75m) 179 lb (81kg) 01-11-1988 Rutgers 8
G 14   Rodgers, Sugar 5' 9" (1.75m) 161 lb (73kg) 12-08-1989 Georgetown 5
C 41   Stokes, Kiah 6' 3" (1.91m) 191 lb (87kg) 03-30-1993 Connecticut 3
C 7   Vaughn, Kia 6' 4" (1.93m) 205 lb (93kg) 01-24-1987 Rutgers 9
C 17   Zahui B., Amanda 6' 5" (1.96m) 250 lb (113kg) 09-08-1993 Minnesota 3
G 1   Zellous, Shavonte 5' 10" (1.78m) 188 lb (85kg) 08-28-1986 Pittsburgh 9
Head coach
  Katie Smith (Ohio State)
Assistant coaches
  Herb Williams (Ohio State)
  Barbara Farris (Tulane)
Athletic trainer
  Chantal Hart



Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Game log

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Pre-season

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2018 pre-season game log
May: 1–1 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
1 May 7 vs. Dallas L 69–76 Coleman (14) Tied (4) Zellous (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
0–1
2 May 8 vs. Los Angeles W 81–75 Nurse (19) Gray (14) 4 Tied (3) Mohegan Sun Arena
1,106
1–1
2018 pre-season schedule

Regular season

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2018 game log
Total: 7–27 (Home: 4–13; Road: 3–14)
May: 1–2 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
1 May 20 @ Chicago L 76–80 Charles (19) Zahui B. (7) Hartley (6) Wintrust Arena
7,922
0–1
2 May 25 Minnesota L 72–78 Charles (18) Charles (12) Hartley (3) Westchester County Center
2,315
0–2
3 May 29 Dallas W 94–89 Charles (34) Charles (10) Zellous (9) Westchester County Center
1,516
1–2
June : 3–9 (Home: 2–5; Road: 1–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
4 June 2 @ Indiana W 87–81 Nurse (34) Stokes (12) Tied (4) Bankers Life Fieldhouse
5,575
2–2
5 June 5 Phoenix L 74–80 Charles (25) Tied (8) Hartley (5) Madison Square Garden
7,215
2–3
6 June 7 Connecticut L 86–88 Charles (24) Charles (9) Zellous (7) Westchester County Center
1,581
2–4
7 June 10 Indiana W 78–75 Rodgers (16) Tied (4) 4 Tied (3) Westchester County Center
1,537
3–4
8 June 13 Las Vegas L 63–78 Charles (19) Coleman (5) Coleman (5) Westchester County Center
1,419
3–5
9 June 16 @ Minnesota L 71–85 Charles (12) Tied (4) Hartley (6) Target Center
9,114
3–6
10 June 19 Atlanta W 79–72 Charles (29) Vaughn (9) Boyd (11) Westchester County Center
1,627
4–6
11 June 22 @ Las Vegas L 78–88 Tied (14) Charles (8) 3 Tied (5) Mandalay Bay Events Center
5,478
4–7
12 June 24 @ Los Angeles 54–80 Zahui B (21) Boyd (6) Boyd (8) Staples Center
9,203
4–8
13 June 26 Phoenix L 69–83 Charles (12) Charles (8) Boyd (7) Westchester County Center
1,839
4–9
14 June 28 @ Washington L 77–80 Prince (21) Charles (7) Charles (6) Capital One Arena
4,473
4–10
15 June 29 Chicago L 99–103 Charles (24) Stokes (5) Prince (5) Westchester County Center
1,837
4–11
July : 3–7 (Home: 1–3; Road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
16 July 1 @ Chicago W 97–94 (OT) Charles (28) Vaughn (11) Boyd (5) Wintrust Arena
5,382
5–11
17 July 3 Seattle L 62–77 Hartley (16) Zellous (7) 3 Tied (4) Westchester County Center
1,749
5–12
18 July 5 @ Washington L 67–86 Charles (26) Charles (12) Hartley (7) Capital One Arena
4,674
5–13
19 July 8 Dallas L 87–97 Charles (26) Charles (9) Boyd (5) Westchester County Center
1,719
5–14
20 July 11 @ Connecticut W 79–76 Charles (19) Charles (11) Boyd (8) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,413
6–14
21 July 15 Chicago W 107–84 Charles (21) Vaughn (7) Boyd (10) Westchester County Center
2,073
7–14
22 July 17 @ Dallas L 87–104 Nurse (25) Charles (6) Tied (4) College Park Center
6,459
7–15
23 July 19 @ Atlanta L 68–82 Charles (11) Boyd (7) Boyd (10) McCamish Pavilion
3,074
7–16
24 July 21 Washington L 78–95 Charles (22) Charles (5) Hartley (6) Westchester County Center
2,005
7–17
25 July 24 @ Minnesota L 82–85 Charles (32) Charles (15) Boyd (9) Target Center
9,830
7–18
August : 0–9 (Home: 0–4; Road: 0–5)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
26 August 1 @ Connecticut L 77–92 Rodgers (16) Vaughn (7) Boyd (8) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,412
7–19
27 August 4 Indiana L 55–68 Charles (11) Charles (10) Charles (4) Westchester County Center
2,225
7–20
28 August 6 Seattle L 80–96 Tied (20) Zahui B. (11) Boyd (7) Madison Square Garden
12,488
7–21
29 August 8 Los Angeles L 81–82 Charles (27) Stokes (11) Boyd (7) Westchester County Center
2,481
7–22
30 August 12 Atlanta L 77–86 Charles (26) Stokes (10) Charles (5) Westchester County Center
2,362
7–23
21 August 14 @ Los Angeles L 66–74 Charles (21) Vaughn (8) Tied (4) Staples Center
11,067
7–24
32 August 15 @ Las Vegas L 72–85 Tied (14) Stokes (11) Boyd (6) Mandalay Bay Events Center
7,159
7–25
33 August 17 @ Seattle L 77–85 Charles (21) Stokes (15) Boyd (5) KeyArena
10,873
7–26
34 August 19 @ Phoenix L 85–96 Nurse (28) Stokes (9) Boyd (7) Talking Stick Resort Arena
13,106
7–27
2018 season schedule

Standings

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# Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Atlanta Dream (2) 23 11 .676 13–4 10–7 12–4
2 Washington Mystics (3) 22 12 .647 1 12–5 10–7 12–4
3 Connecticut Sun (4) 21 13 .618 2 13–4 8–9 9–7
4 e – Chicago Sky 13 21 .382 10 7–10 6–11 6–10
5 e – New York Liberty 7 27 .206 16 4–13 3–14 6–10
6 e – Indiana Fever 6 28 .176 17 2–15 4–13 3–13

Statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Regular season

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Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Tina Charles 33 33 33.0 47.3 32.6 77.0 7.0 2.7 0.7 0.6 19.7
Kia Nurse 34 7 22.8 40.2 29.4 87.0 2.4 1.6 0.7 0.1 9.1
Bria Hartley 34 20 23.7 38.9 30.8 70.8 2.9 3.6 0.9 0.1 8.5
Epiphanny Prince 16 12 19.1 39.3 41.9 87.5 1.6 1.7 0.9 0.0 8.4
Shavonte Zellous 22 22 24.1 42.3 26.7 75.4 3.1 3.0 0.6 0.2 8.2
Amanda Zahui B. 29 0 15.9 50.0 34.4 60.5 3.0 0.7 0.4 0.4 7.7
Brittany Boyd 30 14 19.6 41.4 37.0 77.4 3.9 5.3 1.2 0.1 6.4
Sugar Rodgers 31 13 19.6 36.2 32.3 82.6 3.2 2.0 0.7 0.1 6.3
Kia Vaughn 29 27 18.3 53.3 0.0 64.3 4.0 0.7 0.7 0.2 5.7
Marissa Coleman 21 18 18.3 34.8 27.9 100 2.4 1.0 0.5 0.2 4.7
Rebecca Allen 28 0 10.4 37.6 26.3 84.0 1.7 0.3 0.3 0.4 3.8
Kiah Stokes 30 4 14.2 54.5 0.0 53.3 4.5 0.4 0.4 0.6 3.1

Awards and honors

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Recipient Award Date awarded Ref.
Tina Charles WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week June 4, 2018 [6]
WNBA All-Star Selection July 17, 2018 [7]

References

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  1. ^ "2018 New York Liberty Schedule". Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "Katie Smith Named New York Liberty Head Coach". New York Liberty. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  3. ^ "MSG to Operate Liberty While Continuing to Pursue Sale, Westchester County Center to Serve as Team's Primary Home for 2018". New York Liberty. February 8, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d "Liberty Re-Signs Kia Vaughn and Bria Hartley". liberty.wnba.com. February 9, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  5. ^ "New York Liberty Sign Nine-Year Veteran Marissa Coleman". liberty.wnba.com. May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "Tina Charles, Liz Cambage Named Players of the Week". wnba.com. WNBA. June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  7. ^ "2018 WNBA All-Stars Announced; Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker To Serve As Player-Captains". wnba.com. WNBA. July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
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