New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones knows what it’s like to lose a WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces.
She doesn’t want to get used to the feeling.
“I was doing whatever I can to make sure this team gets the win,” Jones said after putting up 27 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking three shots in Sunday’s do-or-die 87-73 win over Las Vegas in Game 3 of the best-of-5 WNBA Finals before a record crowd of 17,143 at Barclays Center.
Jones, who has already lost a pair of championship series, including last year to these Aces (2-1) as a member of the Connecticut Sun, helped the Liberty (1-2) stave off elimination and set up Wednesday’s Game 4 on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush.
“I just came in energized obviously that we had a new opportunity,” Jones said. “Playing with a lot of passion and not wanting to let the moment pass us by. That’s what I used to kind of fuel me.”
The 6-foot-6 Bahamian went a blistering 10-of-15 from the field, knocked down all but one of her four free throws and even contributed to New York’s previously faltering outside game by draining 3-of-4 shots from 3-point range.
“She was huge for us,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said of Jones, who failed to register a double-double for the first time in nine games this postseason, but still carried most of the load for a desperate squad.
“Those 3s changed the moment of the game a bit,” Brondello added. “The ball went in. Other games the balls weren’t going in for us. We got back to our identity. Proud of the effort and commitment and connection we had. Now we’ve got to do it again.”
And again.
Down 0-2 in the series after the first consecutive losses of their record-setting campaign, the Liberty can even things up and send the series back to Vegas for a decisive Game 5 Friday if they can remanufacture the inside grit and…
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