Libertys perimter defense faltering without injured duo

LOS ANGELES — The Liberty have spent this season experimenting with different lineups and searching for answers. With Leonie Fiebich and Satou Sabally sidelined, the latest pressing question for coach Chris DeMarco centers on slowing elite opposing guards.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.The Liberty may have won Wednesday, their final game before the All-Star break, but Sky rookie Sydney Taylor dropped 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including 4-for-7 from deep. Fiebich and Sabally are the Liberty’s most versatile wing defenders, who often take on the toughest perimeter assignments.

Without them, there’s been a noticeable drop-off whenever the Liberty face a team with a dynamic backcourt scorer. There’s not one player who alone can replace the defensive versatility missing with Fiebich and Sabally out of action. “Having those two out is a big loss in terms of the size in particular,” Rebecca Allen said Monday.“But I think it’s never just one 1-on-1 matchup… it has to be a team effort because ultimately, if you’re playing a game of just one-on-one, the whole game is going to be really damn hard.” Allen emphasized that slowing those guards requires help at every level of the defense. “It’s about always being like, yes, you got your matchup, you know their strengths, their weaknesses, but it’s also about your teammates being there to help because everyone’s going to make some mistakes,” she said.

“Having that low man defensively in terms of the size (in Jonquel Jones)… and having you know your guards next to you in the gaps and helping.So, I think that’s the big mindset too is it’s not just one person who’s shutting down one of the main players.

I think it’s a collective effort.” That’s easier said than done when two of the team’s longest, most switchable defenders aren’t available and there’s no...