It is uncharted territory for Breanna Stewart after the New York Liberty were cut short of a WNBA championship dream, losing 85-83 to the Atlanta Dream in Game 3. It was the first time Stewart was swept out of the WNBA playoffs in her career.

The veteran forward offered a blunt assessment after the Liberty lost 85-83 to the Atlanta Dream in Game 3, completing a three-game sweep in the WNBA semifinals.

“I don’t think we were consistent (throughout the season)…This is not cramming for a test. You gotta be ready to go and ready to go from the jump,” Stewart said via USA Today’s Meghan L. Hall.

New York entered the postseason hoping to defend its championship, but a turbulent regular season left the team as the No. 8 seed. Although the Liberty made history by eliminating the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, they could not carry that momentum into their series against Atlanta.

The loss was particularly painful given how close New York came to extending the series. Stewart scored 26 points on 6-of-15 shooting in Game 3, matching Jonquel Jones' team-high total.

However, the Liberty could not convert a late opportunity to tie the game, allowing Atlanta to close out the matchup.

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The Dream also exposed issues that troubled New York throughout the season, including its ability to respond in critical moments. Injuries, roster changes, and the transition to first-year head coach Chris DeMarco all contributed to a campaign that fell short of the team's championship expectations.

New York finished the regular season 26-18 before going 2-3 in the playoffs. Its first-round upset briefly revived hopes of another deep run, but the semifinal sweep brought those aspirations to an abrupt end.