Liberty Sets Franchise Record for Lineup Changes Amid Injury Woes

The New York Liberty have faced significant challenges in their championship defense this WNBA season, which is set to be the longest on record at 44 games. After starting the season with a perfect 9-0 record, the Liberty has since struggled to a 14-15 mark, sitting fifth in the league standings.

The primary reason for the Liberty's woes has been a rash of injuries to their star players. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones have missed a combined 27 games, forcing head coach Sandy Brondello to shuffle the lineup constantly. In fact, the Liberty has used a franchise-record 14 different starting lineups across their 38 games so far.

Despite the adversity, the Liberty received a much-needed boost on Monday with the return of Stewart to the lineup. However, the team's struggles on the glass continued, as the Liberty was outrebounded 34-30 by the lowly Connecticut Sun, who also grabbed 12 offensive rebounds to the Liberty's six.

Still, Stewart's comeback provided enough of a spark for the Liberty to eke out an 81-79 victory over the Sun. The two-time MVP scored a team-high 19 points in the win, helping the Liberty keep their playoff hopes alive as they navigate the longest WNBA season on record.