Breanna Stewart swooped in to set a screen for Jonquel Jones on the Liberty’s second possession of Wednesday’s game.
Nyara Sabally got stuck, Jones drove by, taking two dribbles before laying it in.
Jones has built a reputation on her versatility.
The 2021 league MVP and 2024 Finals MVP is an elite rim protector.
She drains 3-pointers at an efficient rate and can pass.
She uses her size and strength to her advantage inside.
But Liberty coach Chris DeMarco believes there’s another level to Jones’ game that has yet to be unlocked.
And her dominant 22-point, 17-rebound performance in the Liberty’s 97-82 win against the Toronto Tempo was a glimpse of that.
“Her shooting, obviously, is a concern for other teams,” DeMarco said after Friday’s practice, “so they want to get out there, gives her the ability to drive and as long as we have the proper spacing, she can do a lot of things off the bounce. We’re trying to grow that part of her game this year.”
DeMarco wants Jones to attack the basket more often.
Her strong drives to the rim can either result in a layup or collapse a defense, which leads to an opportunity for someone else on the floor.
Jones said the spacing of the Liberty’s offense allows her to be a more aggressive driver.
“It’s probably the first time in a very long time that I’ve been able to play coming off of screens and stuff, like the last time I did that was probably before I left Connecticut,” she said. “And so to be able to get back into that and feel comfortable again and really working it into my individual workouts and stuff like that, so that when I do get out on the court, I feel that too but just not panicking when I get down there, I see guards waiting on me, taking that extra dribble, I think has been really good for me, too.
“Normally, I’d pick it up a little bit earlier, stuff like that and so I think as time goes on as I get more comfortable, I think it’ll get better as well.”
Sabrina Ionescu has already been impressed with what she’s seen from Jones this season.
“Seeing her kind of be able to develop her game,” Ionescu said, “from the 3-point line and then I feel like she was going in there taking two dribbles, spin move, doing all this stuff as guards, it was really cool to see and something that we see every day in practice but it was nice for her to kind of unleash that in the game.”
Wednesday was an example of Jones at her best.
The Liberty went to her early and often.
It was part of the game plan, Pauline Astier said.
Get the ball inside to Jones and let her cook; the rest stay ready for a kickout or to attack.
Jones’ ability to control the glass, get inside and score opened the game for the rest of her teammates.
“It’s huge,” Ionescu said. “It’s her ability to do a little bit of everything, and we know what she’s capable of, she knows what she’s capable of, and that was one of those games where the ball was going in really early for her and I’m glad we were able to continue to find her and keep her in a really good rhythm.”
The challenge is for Jones to be that aggressive every night.
It’s easier said than done, of course.
In Wednesday’s game, there may have been extra motivation going up against Sabally, the former Liberty draft pick she mentored.
On Saturday, Jones will face a tall task Saturday in Aliyah Boston and the Indiana Fever.
Can Wednesday’s game be the blueprint for Jones moving forward?
“Every night I can come out there and I can be successful,” Jones said. “I don’t really play the game as much to, like, hunt shots and different stuff like that, like I’m definitely a move the ball and just let the ball fly, energy type of player. But I don’t know, we’ll see.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
