Liberty feeling the absence of injured Jonquel Jones on defense

Jonquel Jones’ Impact on the Team

Jonquel Jones, sidelined for over two weeks due to an ankle sprain, has shown just how crucial she is to the team. Her absence has been felt significantly on both ends of the court.

Offensively, the team has had to adapt without her. They’ve been managing to get decent looks, but their rhythm sometimes falters, leading to slower possessions. It’s almost as if they were missing a piece of a puzzle.

Defensively, however, her absence is even more pronounced. She operates like an air traffic controller in the paint, and really, she’s their top rim protector.

The statistical difference is telling. When Jones is on the court, the team boasts a defensive rating of 83.7, but without her, that number jumps to 102.6. That’s a substantial increase, indicating how much her presence stabilizes the defense.

This week, Jones voiced her frustration over how her injury has sidelined her All-Star aspirations. Nevertheless, Sandy Brondello is unwavering in her belief that Jones is among the league’s elite when she’s at full health. “You can see her impact on the team,” Brondello remarked. “She was playing phenomenally. To me, she’s certainly an All-Star.”

As of now, it’s uncertain when Jones will return. On June 21st, the team projected a four to six-week recovery period.

Breanna Stewart’s Rebounding Struggles

Breanna Stewart expressed dissatisfaction with her early season performance, especially in rebounding. She admitted that there were games where she grabbed fewer than three rebounds, clearly not meeting her own expectations.

Recently, though, Stewart seems to be channeling her energy into rebounding, perhaps even more so now that Jones is out. This shift has resulted in her becoming much more aggressive in that area.

Stewart recorded her third double-double of the season, scoring 17 points and snagging a season-high 14 rebounds. Over the last five games, she has averaged 9.4 rebounds, a notable improvement.

Reflecting on her goals, Stewart stated, “I really want to focus on contributing both defensively and offensively on the boards.” She recognized that it’s challenging, particularly against a team that plays solid defense, but she wants her team to feel the same pressure she does.

All-Star Weekend Speculations

As for the upcoming All-Star Weekend, there’s buzz around whether Stewart and fellow UConn alumna Napheesa Collier will join forces. Stewart was coy about the prospect, implying that some discussions might already be underway but leaving it to speculation.