Unapologetic about her competitive choice to “keep receipts” following last season’s crushing 2023 WNBA Finals defeat, Breanna Stewart — in Round 1 of the rematch — certainly had to be pleased with what she herself deposited on September 29, 2024. Nothing but money to that point, with a 20-point first half in her back pocket, the two-time Most Valuable Player stays within flow, surveying the scene of the Las Vegas Aces’ defense from an early-offense set. Benefitting from her teammate’s bodyguard-like screen, Stewart elevates into an uncovered 27-foot triple, bringing “Stew York City” to its feet with an 18-point cushion. Stewart’s excellence during the New York Liberty’s series-opening Game One win offered a “take-your-pick” in terms of historic significance. The Sunday afternoon outburst oversaw her sixth 30-point postseason showing, tied No. 2 across the league’s history books; it also chronicled her WNBA-record 35th-consecutive double-digit scoring output. Amending the year prior’s final memory, Stewart’s final contributions read as follows: 34 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and scorching-hot efficiency from the field (12-of-19), from deep (two-of-four), and from the charity stripe (eight-of-nine). · Sep 29, 2024