Liberty coach Sandy Brondello explains the ‘gravitational pull' of Jonquel Jones

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Jonquel Jones might not be the best player in the WNBA by pure statistics, but by watching the New York Liberty this season, it's hard to think of many who are more important to their team.
Just past the halfway point in the season, New York is 17-6, but 10-1 when Jones is in the lineup. The reigning WNBA Finals MVP missed over a month of action with a knee injury, and the Liberty's one loss with her came in the game she was injured and played only nine minutes.
In her two games since returning, she has averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds with the Liberty winning both games by double digits over teams they previously lost to.
'Obviously she's big and strong, but she's so versatile,' head coach Sandy Brondello said before Jones made her return against the Indiana Fever last week. 'You have to scout her now inside. Outside, it opens up the floor, but then bringing two to her and the post up, and she's a great passer as well too. It's just the gravitational pull that she brings in.'
Brondello has brought up the term 'gravitational pull' several times, and it's part of what makes the Liberty so deadly when they're healthy. Opponents already have plenty to plan for with Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart on the court, not to mention Leonie Fiebich and Kennedy Burke, two of the best shooters in the league.
Adding Jones to the equation further stretches the defense and makes it necessary to guard virtually every square inch of the half-court — and that's assuming Jones is stationed in the post and not creating mismatches with her ability to step out to the perimeter.
The Liberty have their guard-post combo back
Jones had her customary double-double in the Liberty's 89-76 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday, but it was Ionescu who stole the show with 29 points and eight assists.
With Jones, Ionescu and Stewart now in their third year as teammates, it's easy to see the chemistry between them. In the fourth quarter on Friday, it came through a pair of assists from Ionescu to Jones.
And if you ask Ionescu, Jones should get credit for assists via the screens she sets for her point guard.
'That's probably one of the most important relationships that you have as a point guard is with your post player, and from the moment that she got here we've been working on that synergy and chemistry on the court of finding ways to help one another,' Ionescu said. 'Obviously it doesn't go unnoticed all the assists JJ could be having for me with the screens that she sets and her passing ability that we all know.'
Going forward, expect to see Ionescu finding Jones more off the pick-and-roll.
'She sets those great screens and so we're continuing to just find ways to continue to grow together in our relationship,' Ionescu said. 'Being able to read off one another and knowing what she needs at what time and obviously as a point guard that's my job. I hold myself to a really high standard to make sure that I can play a little part in her success.'
Jones' return comes at a good time for the Liberty. They finish off a back-to-back on Saturday at home against the Los Angeles Sparks before hitting the road for four games and playing every other day for the next 10.
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