Despite the New York Liberty becoming the first eighth-seed team in WNBA history to eliminate the number one seed in the playoffs, Jonquel Jones demanded more at halftime. Before the game, Sabrina Ionescu had indicated that the Liberty were unlike any other eighth seed. True to their word, New York pulled off an 87-71 spectacle in front of the home crowd as they ousted the Minnesota Lynx in a clean sweep. After the first two quarters, Jones told the world what the Liberty needed to cross the finish line.

“Closeout game. The mentality has to go up a notch. The physicality has to go up a notch. The intensity has to go up a notch. Just to stay locked into it, stay on the string defensively, move the ball, get it from side to side offensively, and we’ll be in a good spot,” said Jones at halftime per USA Sports.

Jonquel Jones ended up as the joint top scorer of the game, along with teammate Breanna Stewart, with 21 points. Jones was instrumental in dictating the play on both ends of the floor, especially dominating in the paint. She made six offensive rebounds and seven defensive rebounds in the game, never giving the Lynx a chance to get back in the game.

Breanna Stewart was the floor general for the Liberty, dishing out four assists and five rebounds, while adding two steals and two blocks. On a night when she was hit in the face by Olivia Miles for a flagrant foul in the third quarter, Stewart showed extreme composure to finish the night without accumulating any personal fouls herself.

Even for the Lynx HC Cheryl Reeve, Stewart was the X factor of the game, as she said in the post-game press conference.

“Obviously, Breanna Stewart is the ultimate winner when you have that, especially at times like these. But I think more than that, schematically, they were very good at defending the rim,” said Reeve.

For the Minnesota Lynx, it was a particularly frustrating night. They struggled right from the start, trailing by double digits just five minutes into the game. The Lynx never really threatened the Liberty, especially with their poor shooting display. Minnesota shot only 38.2% from the field as a team, compared to Liberty’s 46.4%. The Lynx tried to recover the deficit by shooting more efficiently from the three-point line at 40%, as compared to Liberty’s 31.3%, but the gap was simply too big to bridge.

Courtney Williams led the Lynx in scoring with 18 points, while Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride added another 14 points each. For the unanimous rookie of the year, Olivia Miles, it was a night to forget. She was quite inefficient in the first half and failed to make any impact in the second half either, with Reeve benching her in the third quarter. Miles finished the game with just five points, a far cry from her team leading 19.8 PPG in the regular season, shooting just one of eight from the field.

This marks the second season in a row that they have made an early exit in the playoffs despite finishing the regular season as the number one seed. Granted, they were led by an inexperienced Miles, who, by her own coach’s admission, isn’t quite there yet.

“When was the last time a rookie led the first-place team? Never happened before, and that’s just what we share with her. It just hurts for her right now. It really, really hurts. So, trying to give her some perspective. Clearly, she is not a complete player yet,” said Reeve.

But take nothing away from this fearless Liberty team. And all signs point to the fact that they are far from done.

Jonquel Jones and New York Liberty Could Be The Dark Horse In This Postseason

This may not be the only upset that the Liberty cause in these playoffs. This current team is not too fundamentally different from the side that won the championship in 2024.

The core of that title-winning team is still intact, with Breanna Stewart still leading the way. What is absolutely good news is the fact that Sabrina Ionescu, who has struggled this season with injuries, may be coming into her own.

Ionescu added 18 points in this win against the Lynx, an improvement over her 14.6 PPG in the regular season. Ionescu has only played 31 games this season and has often struggled with consistency.

But putting all that behind her, Ionescu reminded everyone of her lethal game. Ionescu provided a pointed reply when asked what was going through her mind during the third quarter when she scored two three-pointers, per ClutchPoints’ Kris Pursiainen on X.

“Nothing, really. That’s kind of the best place to be, as a shooter and a basketball player, honestly, is when your mind’s empty. And you’re just playing.”

Ionescu’s teammate, Rebecca Allen, also highlighted what Ionescu brings to the team.

“She’s a magnet for defenses,” said Allen. “Whether she’s hitting those shots, she’s creating open ones for everyone else too because she’s really drawing attention all the time. That can’t be undersold. She draws so much attention.”

If the trio of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu keep firing the way they did in this game, it will be foolish to write off the Liberty for a legitimate title charge this season. Throughout the season, they have proved that they can beat any team in the league on their day, and all the signs are pointing to a blockbuster semifinal involving them.

The Liberty will face the winners of the playoff series between the Washington Mystics and the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals. The Dream already hold a 1-0 lead over the Mystics, having won Game 1 with a score of 92-77.