Breanna Stewart Says Liberty Were 'Embarrassed' by Mercury in WNBA Playoffs Blowout

The defending champion New York Liberty failed to close out their first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, suffering an 86-60 Game 2 loss in front of their home fans at the Barclays Center.

After the game, Liberty star forward Breanna Stewart didn't mince words when assessing her team's performance.

"They came in and they embarrassed us on our home court," Stewart said, per ESPN's Katie Barnes. "Now we have to go back there for Game 3. Winner take all. If we're not ready for that, then we shouldn't be here."

Stewart, who was playing through a sprained MCL suffered in Sunday's Game 1, finished with just six points and two rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Barnes noted that Wednesday's outing ended her streak of 44 consecutive playoff games with at least 10 points.

"I just wasn't where I wanted to be today," Stewart said of her performance, though she was pleased with how her knee responded to being tested. "And I have 48 hours to figure it out."

With the series heading back to Phoenix for Game 3 on Friday, Stewart and the Liberty will have to regroup quickly if they hope to stay alive in their quest to repeat as WNBA champions.