Breanna Stewart leads Liberty over Brittney Griner-less Mercury

A video featuring Brittney Griner rolled during a first-quarter timeout, and then the camera focused on her in front of the bench and the PA announcer prompted the fans to welcome her back. They rose for a standing ovation, and Griner patted her heart in appreciation.

The Liberty drew their largest crowd of the season to Barclays Center on Sunday. It was announced as a sellout for Griner’s first game here with the Phoenix Mercury since spending almost 10 months imprisoned in Russia last year.

But the 9,278 fans on hand didn’t get to see Griner play. After going through warm-ups, she sat out her second straight game because of a hip injury.

Breanna Stewart walked over and embraced Griner beforehand, then bounced back from a 1-for-14 struggle the previous time out, contributing 28 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to fuel the Liberty’s 89-71 win.

“If you look at last season, there was something and someone missing in the WNBA, and that was obviously Brittney Griner,” Stewart said. “So the ability to have her back kind of makes our circle complete, because she is such a force and a presence both on and off the court in her ability to kind of be so dominant and aggressive, but also such a kind, caring person.

“Everybody’s missed that .  .  . We’re all better when BG’s here with us.”

Phoenix (2-8) didn’t make the 6-9 center available to comment. But coach Vanessa Nygaard made it clear that though the 32-year-old Griner’s play still is magnificent — 20.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks in eight games — she has changed.

“She’s been dominant already, but I think she’s still in the process of getting back some of her moves,” Nygaard said. “But she’s a different person. The experience she had made her a different person and a different player.”

The eight-time WNBA All-Star was arrested in February 2022 and ultimately sentenced to nine years in prison for having vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. The U.S. government used a prisoner exchange for her in December.

“I think now it’s joy,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said of the difference. “Where she came from, where she’s back now, it’s like sometimes we sweat having a bad game. She was in prison .  .  . So I think she just has that joy going out there and playing.”

Brondello coached Griner for eight years with the Mercury. They finally saw each other again Saturday night. Dinner was on their menu. And a hug.

“It was good, just that moment I’ve been waiting for such a long time,” Brondello said.

They hugged again before the game. Then Stewart promptly began distancing herself from her off night in Tuesday’s 86-79 loss here against Atlanta, scoring 12 in the first quarter.

The Liberty (7-3), playing without Sabrina Ionescu for the second consecutive game because of a hamstring problem, led 11-8. Stewart doubled the lead with a three-pointer and the margin continued to expand. It was 30-17 after 10 minutes.

Stewart scored 11 more in the second quarter. The cushion deflated to eight, but Stewart nailed a midrange jumper and a three-pointer to push it to 13 again at 44-31. When she pulled up and sank another three with 31.3 seconds on the clock, the Liberty had a 53-34 advantage to take into the locker room.

“I think I wanted to make an assertive effort to be aggressive, especially at the start of the game, and hopefully have everyone else follow suit,” said Stewart, who shot 7-for-13 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, and 11-for-13 from the line.

“Sometimes the ball doesn’t go in the basket, and that’s what happened last game. But law of averages, these things kind of even out a little bit.”

The lead reached 22 in the third quarter. Sophie Cunningham scored 12 of her 27 points in a 14-3 burst to open the fourth, cutting it to 72-64. That’s as close as it got.

Brondello had put four starters back when it was down to 13. Marine Johannes hit two threes, and the Liberty were headed for a win.

Notes & quotes: Jonquel Jones had her first Liberty double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds .  .  . Brondello said Ionescu is “close.” .  .  . Diana Taurasi (hamstring) also sat out for Phoenix.