Could 24, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Liberty middle Jonquel Jones (35) shoots the ball whereas Indiana Fever ahead Natasha Howard (6) defends within the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Necessary Credit score: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Photographs
One Japanese Convention crew is getting more healthy after the WNBA All-Star break, and it is not the Indiana Fever.
Whereas Indiana expects Caitlin Clark to overlook Tuesday’s sport, the New York Liberty ought to have former league MVP Jonquel Jones again within the fold after they host the Fever.
Jones has missed 9 video games for New York (15-6) since aggravating a proper ankle damage on June 19. The Liberty missed the 6-foot-6 middle and her averages of 12.1 factors and 9.6 rebounds per sport.
They initially struggled, dropping the sport Jones was harm in and 4 of the following six after that. However the Liberty pulled out three straight wins coming into the All-Star break, capped by a 98-77 dwelling win over the Clark-less Fever final Wednesday.
“I feel we have been dropping a few of these video games ourselves. We have been simply not popping out with the appropriate vitality, we weren’t enjoying Liberty basketball,” Sabrina Ionescu stated final week. “There was type of simply this realization of, if we simply type of settle in to doing that, we’re in a extremely great place. Clearly (coach) Sandy (Brondello) continued to maintain us collectively, which in a time like that may make or break groups.”
Breanna Stewart racked up 24 factors, 11 rebounds, seven assists and 4 blocks in opposition to Indiana. She paces the Liberty with 19.7 factors per sport.
The Fever (12-11) bought 16 factors from Kelsey Mitchell and 12 from Sophie Cunningham in that sport, however they allowed New York to shoot 57.8 % from the sector and 51.9 % from 3-point vary. The Liberty lead the season collection 2-1 coming into their closing assembly Tuesday.
“The temper of the crew is OK,” Fever guard Aari McDonald stated after that sport. “We have been speaking earlier than the sport and we’re similar to, ‘We’re all we bought, so now we have to stay collectively.’”
Clark has averaged 16.5 factors, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in her second professional season, however she performed in simply 13 of the Fever’s 23 regular-season video games earlier than the break as a result of quadriceps and groin accidents. The crew stated Clark will get different opinions on her newest tweak, a proper groin damage, however coach Stephanie White stated she is progressing.
Clark missed the WNBA 3-point Contest and All-Star Recreation in Indianapolis over the weekend. Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) scored 36 factors to guide Group Collier over Group Clark 151-131.
In the meantime, Ionescu and Liberty teammate Natasha Cloud swept the 3-point contest and expertise competitors.
–Subject Degree Media