Portland Fire Stun Liberty in New York, 81-74

The Portland Fire knocked off the New York Liberty 81-74 on the road, seizing control early in the fourth quarter and never looking back. Carla Leite paced Portland with 18 points, while Breanna Stewart's 25-point effort wasn't enough to keep New York in front.

The decisive moment

The game tipped in Portland's favor with 10:00 left in the fourth quarter, when the Fire grabbed the lead for good. From there, the visitors managed the closing stretch with poise to secure an 81-74 win inside New York's building.

By the numbers

Final: Portland Fire 81, New York Liberty 74 (7-point margin)
Carla Leite (POR): 18 PTS, 2 AST
Breanna Stewart (NY): 25 PTS, 7 REB
Marine Johannes (NY): 17 PTS, 6 AST
Jonquel Jones (NY): 12 PTS, 11 REB, 4 AST

Stewart carried the New York scoring load and Jones posted a double-double, but the Liberty couldn't generate enough offense down the stretch to overcome Portland's fourth-quarter surge.

What it means

The result is a statement road win for the Fire, who proved capable of closing out a tight game against a New York roster built around proven scorers. For the Liberty, the loss is a reminder that even strong individual nights from Stewart and Jones don't guarantee results when a rotation is still finding its rhythm. Both teams remain in the early rhythm of the 2026 WNBA Regular Season.

What to watch next

Portland will look to build on the momentum of a road victory, while New York must tighten its late-game execution before its next outing.