New York Liberty vs. LA Sparks Game Preview: Liberty return to start a 3-game road trip

A miracle minute to save the day. When things looked darkest for the New York Liberty, Sabrina Ionescu delivered. Ionescu’s nine points in the final minute helped the Liberty rally to come back and beat the Chicago Sky by one point on July 22. For a team that’s desperate for wins, you take what you can get.

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The opponent tonight is searching for answers. The Los Angeles Sparks have endured a long year as they’re trying to scrap back into postseason contention, but a playoff spot currently looks further away than ever. Unfortunately for them, it appears further away than ever. Their losing streak sits at five games following a Camp Day defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury on July 22.

Game Info & Broadcast Details

• Matchup: New York Liberty (15-12) vs. Los Angeles Sparks (10-16)

• Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2026

• Tip-Off Time: 10:00 PM EST/7:00 PM PST

• Venue: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)

• TV Channel: WWOR (My9 local)

• Livestream: Liberty Live, League Pass

Liberty vs. Sparks Injury Report: Who’s Out?

New York Liberty Injury Status:

• Questionable – Marine Johannes (left ankle injury)

Los Angeles Sparks Injury Status:

The Game

Los Angeles won the first meeting (98-97 on June 21).

It’s been chaotic for the Sparks since we last saw them in June. On July 12, they fired General Manager Raegan Pebley and replaced her with interim GMs. With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, LA has to decide its long-term direction, and fast.

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And as it turns out, the future might be now. From Annie Costabile of The Athletic:

Plum signed a one-year deal valued at $999,999 in free agency, but the sense from sources around the league, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not cleared to comment publicly on the matter, is that the 31-year-old guard does not intend to re-sign with the Sparks as a free agent. Both Plum and her agent, Zack Miller of WME Basketball, declined to comment to The Athletic on her plans.The only way for the Sparks, who are 10-16 and four games back of the eighth-seed Washington Mystics, to guarantee they do not lose a valuable asset for nothing is to move Plum before next week.”

The deadline is fast approaching, and we’ll see how things develop from here.

Player & Matchup Keys

Ionescu is finding her groove. When she aggressively hunts her shot, the entire Liberty offense clicks. Maintaining that aggression while keeping teammates involved is key.

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Without Kelsey Plum, the Sparks must lean heavily on Nneka Ogwumike. Ogwumike hit the dagger in the first matchup and will look to carry the load out of the All-Star break. LA needs a lot of help to get back into the playoff race, and it starts with the All-Star and future Hall of Famer.

🌟 Player to watch: Cameron Brink

Across any sport, this remains true, no matter how depressing it is: “If only they could stay healthy…”

That has been the story of Cameron Brink since she entered the WNBA in 2024. Since then, injuries have slowed her down each season of her career and has left Sparks fans wondering, “what if?” When she is on the court, she’s someone that is one of the best shot blockers in the game and someone that is adding more to her offensive arsenal every day. As the Sparks try to figure out what their future holds, Brink HAS to reach an All Star level. If she doesn’t, all of their plans will be for naught.

How can the Liberty pick up another win?

That starts with Jonquel Jones. JJ had a tremendous All Star Saturday as her 22-13-8 off the bench earned her MVP honors. The award led to Jones making a really cool bit of history