Liberty open without their two All-Stars. Sabrina Ionescu (left ankle, rolled it in Sunday's preseason finale) is out at least two weeks — the first four games minimum. Satou Sabally is also ruled out (cyst). Rebecca Allen out too. Defending champs walk into Brooklyn shorthanded vs. Connecticut.

The Liberty's title defense starts undermanned. Sabrina Ionescu, who rolled her left ankle in the third quarter of Sunday's preseason finale on a reverse layup, is out for at least two weeks as a precaution. The MRI on Monday showed no major damage to the foot or ankle, but New York is being careful — that means at minimum the first four games of the regular season, including tonight's home opener vs. the Sun at Barclays.

It gets worse. Satou Sabally, the prized offseason add who came over from Phoenix in a sign-and-trade, is also ruled out — a cyst, not the illness she dealt with earlier in the week. Rebecca Allen is out too. So the team's 2024 Finals MVP, the team's biggest summer acquisition, and one of their top wings are all in street clothes for tip.

That puts a heavy load on Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Leonie Fiebich, and rookie Kiki Iriafen. Liberty are still favored — Sun are rebuilding and just lost their core to free agency — but this is not how a defending champ wants to open the year. Ionescu is expected back inside two weeks. Sabally's timeline is unclear.