Travel woes become the latest hurdle in Libertys up-and-down season

INDIANAPOLIS — Perhaps there’s no better metaphor for the Liberty’s season than their travel disruption to Dallas this week.Weather delays spoiled the team’s on-time departure, similar to how injuries and late arrivals hurt New York early on.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.

Then, mechanical issues with the plane stalled the Liberty in New York, much like how Leonie Fiebich and Satou Sabally’s nagging injuries are impacting the team now.The Liberty switched planes and yet found themselves in a familiar spot — stranded on the tarmac.The team’s charter never took off, nor has its season.“It sucks, there’s no way around it, but it is what it is,” Sabrina Ionescu told reporters Friday of the team’s travel fiasco.“We got to make a good push before we get a break.”Will the Liberty be able to form some semblance of momentum over the next three games heading into the All-Star break? Or will their potential for greatness be postponed to a later time or canceled altogether?For an underwhelming 13-11 team with championship aspirations, here are three glaring issues:The Liberty thought they fortified their roster to withstand injuries.But Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, returning this season after a yearlong layoff because of a knee injury, has struggled to establish herself amid a fluctuating role.

Satou Sabally suffered her second concussion in eight months and Leonie Fiebich went down with a left foot injury.A positional group that once looked to be the Liberty’s deepest turned shallow.Sabally’s and Fiebich’s absences, in particular, are hurting the team on both ends.The Liberty’s net rating when Fiebich is on the court is 7.8 and minus-1.7 when she’s off it.For Sabally, it’s 4.9 when she’s on and 3.6 when she’s off.The Liberty’s ability to switch on defense takes a hit without them.

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