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If there was a slight positive for the Liberty to draw out of the Game 2 rout by the Mercury, it was that it proved to be a test drive for Breanna Stewart.

The two-time MVP, who disclosed on Wednesday that she suffered an MCL sprain in her left knee during Game 1 in Phoenix, was able to play and left the 86-60 loss at Barclays Center feeling “pretty good.”

She scored just six points with two rebounds, two assists and three turnovers in 20 minutes.

Nevertheless, Stewart knew it was all more of a “mental barrier than a physical one.”

“I was able to see how I felt,” Stewart said after the loss that set up an elimination Game 3 on Friday. “I look forward to try really letting loose. I think you could tell that they wanted to run the high ball screen on me and really see how that went. And it worked with them today, but we’ll be ready for it.”

Stewart played with a brace on her left knee throughout the game and expects it to be “a little sore” as the night goes on.

Nevertheless, she was upbeat about where things stand for her going into another game in which she will have to put her body on the line.

“I was happy with the way that I was able to kind of really, just move, and really I just need to be a little bit more confident in all of my things. But I wasn’t in pain or anything like that,” she said.

The two-time MVP understood that she would be targeted and exploited not at full strength, as Phoenix dominated the paint with 38 points against the Liberty’s 22.

However, she wasn’t pleased to have been “embarrassed” on her home court as a big competitor.

“It’s annoying but things happen. Things are happening,” she said. “Everybody’s tired. Everybody’s hurt. Everybody’s got something bothering them and playing through that. I wanted to be there for my team, and I didn’t play the way that I wanted to, but I’m excited for another chance. Our backs are against the wall just as theirs [ar] so everyone can leave it out on the line.”

Sabrina Ionescu had a rough shooting night that called back to one of her worst playoff shooting performances — one that capped off the Liberty’s first WNBA title after she alarmingly shot 1-for-19 from the field.

Only this time, there wasn’t champagne or smiles to be seen at the news conference, but rather an elimination game awaiting her.

Ionesu scored just nine points, shooting 3-for-13 from the field and 1-for-8 from deep.

In the first quarter, she was fouled by Monique Akoa Makani on a 3-pointer and missed all three free throws, which silenced the home crowd.

She finished 2-for-6 from the line.

Asked about the performance, Ionescu was short, “I’m all right. I’m never going to use anything as an excuse. I’ll be better on Friday.”