Liberty's Stewart (knee) a game-time call for G2

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Liberty star Breanna Stewart will be a "game-time decision" for Game 2 of New York's first-round WNBA playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, coach Sandy Brondello said on Tuesday following the team's practice at Barclays Center.

Stewart injured her left knee during Game 1 on Sunday, which the Liberty won in overtime to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three series.

Stewart attended practice on Tuesday but did not participate. She walked without a noticeable limp and wore a gray compression sleeve on her left leg.

The Liberty, the No. 5 seed and defending WNBA champions, did not make Stewart available to the media.

Brondello told reporters that scans of Stewart's knee were "relatively clean," but did not provide specifics of the injury.

"She's tough," Brondello said of Stewart. "I think one of her superpowers is her mental toughness, so if she's able to go, she'll go."

With just over 3 minutes left in overtime, Stewart caught a pass in the corner. She drove past the Mercury's Alyssa Thomas on the baseline, planted with her left leg, and finished a layup over two Phoenix defenders. Satou Sabally fouled her on the play.

As Stewart went up, she already appeared to be grimacing. After falling to the ground, she clutched her left knee, in obvious pain. Liberty teammates Leonie Fiebich and Sabrina Ionescu helped Stewart to her feet, and she was able to walk under her own power. She missed the free throw and stayed in the game.

After about a minute of game time, Stewart requested a sub. She left the floor at the 2:07 mark and did not return. She finished Game 1 with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. Stewart missed 13 games earlier this season with a bone bruise in her right knee.

Ionescu downplayed the challenge of preparing for Game 2 amid the uncertainty around Stewart's availability.

"The same, like we've approached every game this year," Ionescu said. "It's nothing new to us, to be completely honest. We're well equipped. I think the regular season really prepared us for this moment, and we've got to control the things that we can and go out there and win on our home court."

The Liberty have been sacked with injuries all season long. Forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton injured her knee during the offseason and missed the entire season. Center Jonquel Jones has missed 13 games this season. Ionescu, Fiebich and Cloud have also missed a handful of games.

"I think it's been the MO of our season this year, just facing adversity," Jones said. "I think we've done a really good job of staying together and learning from it."

Stewart, a two-time WNBA MVP, leads the Liberty in points per game (18.3), blocks per game (1.4) and steals per game (1.4). She is second in rebounding with 6.6 per game