PHOENIX — Jonquel Jones strikes in a different way within the playoffs.
The fun-loving, calm Bahamian's power intensifies. The heaviness of the second doesn't weigh her down however reasonably makes her stronger in the identical means stress creates diamonds.
The Liberty are essentially the most skilled postseason group, combining for 252 playoff video games. However no New York participant has made extra playoff appearances than Jones.
She's skilled heartbreak and pleasure.
It beforehand had been an all-too-familiar feeling for Jones of getting a disappointing finish to a season stew for six months till a brand new WNBA marketing campaign.
That feeling of leaving one thing on the desk, of unfinished enterprise, motivated her for years.
It's why Jones got here to New York earlier than the 2023 season. She needed to win the one factor she chased however by no means caught as much as that time in her profession: a WNBA championship.
This previous yr, she savored the sweetness of her greatness, stringing collectively a memorable 11-game run en path to delivering New York its first skilled basketball title in additional than 5 many years.
She rightfully earned her crown because the 2024 Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 factors and seven.6 rebounds whereas taking pictures 56.1 % from the sector and 42.9 % from behind the arc in the course of the sequence towards the Lynx.
She additionally sank all 19 of her free throws.
With the playoffs starting Sunday, the onus is on Jones to unlock the slumbering savage that's Playoff J.J.
Jones is among the most necessary gamers within the Liberty's first-round sequence towards the Mercury. She's anticipated to hold the burden of being former teammate Alyssa Thomas' main defender.
But when there's anybody who can handle the menace that Thomas presents opponents, it's an engaged Jones.
She has a historical past of upping the ante as soon as the postseason begins.
She produces extra factors, rebounds, assists and blocks on common within the postseason than the common season. Her effectivity improves, too.
The Liberty want Jones to be at her greatest to make the deep playoff run they hope to have.
Because it's been well-documented up up to now, the Liberty had a tough common season. Accidents difficult the rotation and complacency reared its ugly head far too typically.
Jones sprained her proper ankle twice and missed a month of motion, which halted her actual probability at her sixth All-Star choice.
Jones completed the season averaging 13.6 factors, 8.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 blocked pictures per recreation. She drained a career-best 1.7 treys per recreation whereas changing at a 42.4 % clip.
Much like the remainder of the group, Jones hasn't been constantly her nice self as of late. However the playoffs are a completely completely different scenario.
This may be the clear slate she must convey out her greatest.
Ultimately, the Liberty know what they're going to get out of Jones. And in truth, they simply need her to be J.J. Be that drive down low, acquire rebounds like they're foreign money, stay dedicated on protection and be who she is.
Jones could possibly be the important thing to unlocking the Liberty's greatest play but.
