New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) reacts during the second half of Game 4 of a WNBA basketball semifinal playoff series against the Connecticut Sun, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones have New York back in the WNBA Finals for the first time in more than two decades.
Two of the Liberty’s big offseason acquisitions came up big for the Liberty to help them reach the championship round for the first time since 2002 with an 87-84 win over Connecticut on Sunday in Game 4 of the semifinals.
Jones scored 25 points, including five in the final minutes. The 6-foot-6 forward, who won an MVP in 2021 as a member of the Sun, added 15 rebounds and four blocked shots for the Liberty, who will face defending champion Las Vegas in a series that starts on Oct. 8. The two Finals teams were labeled as “super teams” coming into the season.
“I think that’s the narrative everyone wanted at the start,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “I didn’t particularly like the super team thing, but you know these players, they still played great. It was a process for us to get to this level now and I think it’s going to be a great series.”
Stewart, who came over from Seattle in the offseason and earned her second regular season MVP award, led New York with 27 points and Betnijah Laney added 21 in the clincher of the best-of-five series. The Liberty won three in a row from the Sun after dropping the series opener in New York.
“The fact that the Liberty hasn’t been to a Final since 2002 is wild,” Stewart said. “And to be able to have that and to know that we have the entire city behind us is something that is really, really special.”
MVP runner-up Alyssa Thomas had 17 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists for Connecticut. It was her first triple-double of the post-season after recording a record six during the regular season. Tiffany Hayes had 15 points and…
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