Sandy Brondello used the word “embarrassed” to summarize what Phoenix did to the Liberty on Friday. 

Sunday’s game at Atlanta was supposed to be an opportunity to save face and end the road trip on a high note. Instead, the Liberty lost for the fourth time in five games, this one 90-81 to the Dream. 

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Against the Mercury on Friday, the Liberty allowed more than 100 points for the second time in six games as their defensive issues without Jonquel Jones have grown to be quite glaring. 

The Liberty knew a bounce back would be possible against the Dream, as they impressively orchestrated a run back from a 17-point deficit to grab an 86-81 victory when the teams met June 17 at Barclays Center. 

It wasn’t in the cards. 

The Liberty’s defensive woes were exposed yet again due to the Dream’s strong interior passing and size with Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones down low. New York was fighting to try to find the balance for offensive boards — camping out in the paint or leaving your man to help when needed. 

Brondello admitted it could have all started at tipoff when the coach put Rebekah Gardner into the starting lineup over Kennedy Burke. 

“Look, in the end, probably should have went bigger at the start of the game to be quite honest, just with their physicality,” Brondello said. “They played their big players a fair bit and they’re very physical. I just thought we need a little bit more size and help with some rebounding as well, and blocking out. So, I just went with the players that have a bit more physical presence.” 

The Liberty used a rhythm change in the third quarter to cut what had been a 20-point deficit to 10 points. That renewed energy faded in the fourth quarter. 

What worked against Griner in the third didn’t hold early in the final period as she scored four quick points in the paint. Allisha Gray also forced her way to the free-throw line and had the Liberty beat in transition to extend the Dream lead back to 17 with 6:30 to go. 

No matter Breanna Stewart’s relentless efforts on both ends of the floor to keep the Liberty in the game with a near double-double (21 points and nine rebounds along with two steals, two blocks, and four assists), she, Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu were pulled with two minutes left. 

A 3-pointer from Marine Johannès with 1:05 left to play lent brief hope, pulling the Liberty within nine. The hope quickly vanished. 

Cloud had a strong game with 20 points, six assists and four rebounds. Ionescu had 14 points, but shot 5-for-15 from the field. 

While the Liberty shut down the Dream from deep, going 4-for-19 on the day, the kill shots came from Griner and Jones, who accounted for 35 of the Dream’s season-best 62 points in the paint compared to the Liberty’s 36. 

The Liberty were caught in mismatches down low that the Dream took advantage of, such as the 6-foot-3 Jones backing down the 5-10 Johannès in the paint for two points and a foul in the first quarter. 

“[Griner] and Bri Jones were playing really well tonight and finishing incredibly well around the basket,” Stewart said. “So, we need to make sure that we kind of give them tougher looks and if that means trying to push them out farther, but they’re strong in what they do. I think just when we’re going to double, our rotations need to be a little bit better. 

“But we got better in the second half. Can’t get much worse after the first half.”