NEW YORK — Breanna Stewart won the WNBA’s MVP award last season but thought her playoff performance wasn’t good enough after her New York Liberty lost the WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces — something that stuck hard with Stewart.
“I think I’ve just kind of grown from it,” Stewart said of her 2023 postseason disappointment. “I’ve had — unfortunately — a lot of time to reflect on it, and where can I be better. And how to handle things collectively better. But with that, I don’t forget who I am and what I can do.”
Lest anyone else forget, Stewart showed them Sunday in the Liberty’s 87-77 victory over the Aces in Game 1 of their best-of-five WNBA semifinal series at Barclays Center. Stewart had 34 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, shooting 12-of-19 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the line.
It was Stewart’s sixth career game of 30-plus points in the playoffs; only Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi (8) has more. Stewart’s energy getting the Liberty off to a strong start made it a rough day overall for the two-time defending champion…
