Prior to Sunday’s win-or-go-home Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, Jonquel Jones said the Liberty needed to “prove that we belong” and “throw the first punch.”
The guard then delivered several punches on both ends of the court, leading the Liberty with 27 points in an 87-73 victory over the Aces at Barclays Center.
Four of those punches came from the 3-point line as Jones capitalized on open opportunities from deep that Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty’s other shooters didn’t find as often.
It marked Jones’ best output from beyond the arc in the playoffs.
“We don’t put them in a box,” Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said about Jones’ shooting. “It’s more like if you feel comfortable and you’re confident, shoot the ball. And JJ was wide open. … She was huge for us and those 3s, I mean, it kind of changed the momentum of the game a fair bit.”
Aces head coach Becky Hammon acknowledged that if there is one player they wanted taking deep shots more than others, it was Jones, who wound up using defending champs’ desires against them.
“I don’t want [Betnijah] Laney or [Ionescu] or [Breanna Stewart], and [Jones] made them. So, kudos to [Jones],” Hammon said.
Jones remains a pain in the Aces’ collective side in the series, which is now 2-1 in favor of Vegas.
She entered Sunday with eight consecutive double-doubles but fell two rebounds shy of making it nine straight. She was the only real threat in Game 2 in Las Vegas, giving the Liberty hope by powering a spurt that cut a 22-point deficit to eight.
“Really, really proud of JJ, and it’s been a journey this year for her,” Brondello said. “She’s a superstar, this girl. She’s amazing. She’s very humble. She’s carried us in the games that we lost. She was really the only one that was being consistent.”
Jones’ year has turned around since she found a rhythm after suffering a left foot injury. She is fighting for her first WNBA title after failing to clinch one with the Sun in 2019 and 2022.
This time, she doesn’t want it to slip away.
“Just focusing, obviously, and having a level of intensity coming into the games,” Jones said. “Just keep it going. Just keep attacking the boards and making sure I’m doing whatever I can to make sure that we get the win.”