Liberty shoots for fifth straight time in Atlanta

“Winning (is) the most important thing. We’ve got to go to Atlanta and get another one,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello insisted after Tuesday night’s 88-75 triumph at Chicago in the first game of this three-game road trip.

New York (8-2) has already matched the best 10-game start in franchise history, tying the mark set during the WNBA’s inaugural campaign in 1997.

By winning their first two games of June’s five-game Commissioners Cup schedule, the Liberty find themselves alone atop the Eastern Conference with a 2-0 record and a league-leading plus-49 point differential. in these competitions.

“We are neither too high nor too low. We just trust each other,” WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart revealed in assessing her team’s strong start.

Although they have an epic showdown looming Saturday against league-leading and still-undefeated Connecticut (9-0), the Liberty have managed to worry about the opponent in front of them game after game.

On Tuesday, they trailed the Sky by one point heading into the final period of a tough game that featured 39 personal fouls and the eventual ejection of Chicago rookie sensation Angel Reese.

Rather than succumb to the pressure of three grueling quarters on the road, New York instead stormed back in the fourth quarter with a 15-2 run that settled things.

Stewart posted season highs of 33 points and 14 rebounds and fellow All-Star Sabrina Ionescu added 24 points and seven rebounds as the Liberty outscored the Sky, 23-9, in the final period.

“Our zone really helped us (in the fourth quarter),” Brondello said. “We contained (the posts) well when we changed the defense. And when we can score, we can help the defense prepare.

The dynamic duo of Stewart and Ionescu combined for 12 points in the final 10 minutes.

“I’ve always prided myself on being able to come in and rebound,” Ionescu noted. “We were playing a really good rebounding team, and so I knew my opportunity would be to go out there and help us.”

She did more than just hit the glass.

Ionescu made four of New York’s 10 3-pointers, giving it at least one successful shot from beyond the arc in a franchise record-tying 35 consecutive games.

Power forward Jonquel Jones was held to just five points Tuesday, but she had 12 rebounds and dished out four assists for the second straight contest despite foul trouble throughout the night.

The Dream (4-3) have just suffered a 69-50 home defeat against the Sun, who dominated Atlanta 22-10 in the second quarter to win definitively.

Tina Charles had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Dream, who shot a season-worst 28 percent from the floor, including a dismal 3-of-16 effort from 3-point range.

“I feel like we’re a much better team than we showed,” Atlanta coach Tanisha Wright said.

“I think sometimes we let our offense dictate our defense and I thought that killed our confidence. … We missed some easy shots. We looked great.

The Liberty won three of four meetings in Atlanta last year, including a 95-84 victory at the Barclays Center downtown in the final meeting on July 27.

Stewart led the way for New York that night with 33 points and 12 rebounds. She also tied the franchise record with 16 free throw attempts.

Tip-off for Thursday’s first meeting of this year between New York and Atlanta is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

GIVE ME FREEDOM: Shameka Christon is the only other player in franchise history to score at least one 3-pointer in 35 consecutive games. … Book in advance Nyara Sabally will miss his third straight game Thursday with a back injury. … After closing this trip to Connecticut on Saturday, the Liberty will quickly return to Brooklyn for Sunday’s game against Washington (0-9), without a win.