The Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty have seen each other four times this season, but all four games had different lineups due to injuries and free agent signings.
The Mercury host Game 1 at 2 p.m. MST (5 p.m. ET) Sunday, Sept. 14, at PHX Arena, and will be televised on ESPN.
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The Liberty have dealt with injuries to center Jonquel Jones and guard Sabrina Ionescu, along with adding free agent power forward Emma Meesseman. The Mercury rested guard Kahleah Copper in the first meeting on June 19 and added free agent forward DeWanna Bonner in early July.
With all of the inconsistencies in the lineups, the Mercury aren’t too concerned that neither team has been at full strength in their meetings.
“It’s not difficult at all,” Satou Sabally said. “We know the tendencies, how the players react, we know how we play, and we really have to stay true to our identity.
“We have to stay true to our defensive identity and getting out on the fast breaks and rebounding and keeping them to one shot. It’s just the basics.”
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The Mercury blew out the Liberty in Phoenix in the last meeting, but Ionescu’s injury forced New York to have a lineup full of bigs, including putting 6-foot-4 wing Leonie Fiebich at shooting guard.
Inconsistencies from injuries this season took a toll on the Liberty and forced the defending champions to fall to the fifth seed, but New York’s now-healthy roster will challenge the Mercury.
“We’re definitely prepared for a bigger lineup. Obviously, Sab (Ionescu) being back in the game, she’s an elite player and that shifts our defense a bit,” Sabally said. “Whether they’re big or not, we have the agility and the speed that we can beat them with and that’s what we’ll stay with.
“With Sab coming in, that’s more perimeter shooting and she’s also really efficient.”
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The Mercury have played against taller lineups, and every inch counts against the Liberty. In the front court, the Liberty boast 6-foot-6 Jones at center, along with 6-foot-4 Breanna Stewart and 6-foot-4 Meesseman. The Liberty can also turn to 6-foot-5 forward Nyara Sabally or 6-foot-4 Fiebich.
Satou Sabally also pointed out that the hardest matchup will be Jones because she’s a “force to contain.” Jones produced averages of 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in her three games against the Mercury, and her size in the paint could disrupt the Mercury offense.
And, in her last meeting against the Mercury, Jones was recovering from an illness and wasn’t at full strength.
“Mack did a really good job last time,” Sabally said, “and we’re going to have to guard her as a group. There’s a lot of good players on that team.
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“You can pick and choose each X factor and key matchup that you want. We need to limit all of them and do it as a group.”
Game 2 is Wednesday, Sept. 17, in New York at 5 p.m. MST (8 p.m. ET), also on ESPN. Game 3, if necessary, would be back at PHX Arena on Friday, Sept. 19, with time and TV to be announced.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mercury prepared for New York’s healthy lineup in first round matchup
