INDIANAPOLIS — The Liberty find themselves in a difficult position with no justification to lean on.
After facing travel disruptions that pushed their scheduled game in Dallas from Thursday to Monday, they hadn’t stepped onto the court since Sunday.
This shift afforded them additional practice sessions, extra preparation time, and ample opportunities for meetings to ensure everyone was in sync.
Breanna Stewart believed they were poised for success.
Yet, some 12 hours later, the Liberty’s performance indicated otherwise.
Earlier in the day, Stewart told The Post that Saturday night’s game against the Fever was more about proving to themselves that the work is paying off than proving to others that the Liberty are a serious contender.
New York’s pride was on the line.
But things unraveled for the Liberty and they never recovered, falling to the fatigued Fever 108-88.
Embarrassing.
Disappointing.
Frustrating.
Demoralizing.
Pick your adjective.
The Liberty led by 13 points with 2:55 left in the first half.
Then, Lexi Hull hit a 3 in transition.
Pauline Astier got called for a flagrant foul, sending Kelsey Mitchell to the line for three free throws, and Tyasha Harris drained a 3.
That six-point swing made it a four-point game.
The Liberty led by four at halftime.
The Fever — playing on the second night of a back-to-back with Caitlin Clark on a minutes restriction — outscored them 30-12 in the third quarter.
Mitchell had 14 of her 33 points in the period.
It was the same story, different game.
The Liberty looked out of sorts.
The chemistry seems off.
They’re asking too much of Stewart.
It was never going to be sustainable.
New York committed 17 turnovers resulting in 30 Fever points.
Indiana converted its eight offensive boards into 18 points.
The Fever looked every bit like a team playing for the second time in 24 hours.
And yet, the Liberty — who, again, hadn’t played in six days — couldn’t take advantage.
New York’s third-quarter showing was pitiful.
The Liberty committed eight turnovers and eight fouls.
They shot 5-for-13 from the field.
The Liberty have taken some injury hits.
They’re without Leonie Fiebich, who has a left foot injury, and Satou Sabally, who missed her seventh game because of concussion protocol.
Still no excuse for what transpired Saturday.
The Liberty started the game strong.
They were raining 3s.
Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Stewart each drained one.
Marine Johannes went a splashy 4-for-5 from deep in the first quarter.
The Liberty shot 7-for-9 from deep, but 2-for-10 inside the arc.
New York went 6-for-23 from beyond the arc in the final three quarters.
The Liberty’s bench was expected to be the deepest in the league.
But the Fever’s reserves outscored New York’s 31-14.
It’s unclear why Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Rebekah Gardner never left the Liberty’s bench considering how poorly things were going.
New York needed something, anything, and never got it outside of Stewart.
Clark said she might have to play more than her minutes restriction if the game called for it.
Ultimately, it didn’t because the Fever sealed the Liberty’s fate in the third quarter.
The Liberty have lost eight of their last 10 games and are 13-12 with two games left before the All-Star break.