32-8 league record this year and the New York Liberty failed to best one team throughout — the Minnesota Lynx. Napheesa Collier & Co. upended the Liberty 3-1 in the season series, including the Commissioner’s Cup Finale. Taking note of the same, the WNBA legend Lisa Leslie pointed out on crucial player who can give an edge to the Sandy Brondello-coached team.

Leslie was present in a podcast with Just Women’s Sports only hours before the Liberty’s clash with the Lynx on Thursday. A critical Leslie gave the Liberty their game plan for the playoffs. “Let me just tell you who… I wouldn’t say, I’m disappointed in, but has got to do more. Jonquel Jones. For the Liberty to walk away holding that trophy, she’s got to show up bigger and better. She’s got to be dominant in the paint. She’s got to get those boards and she’s got to block some shots,” the 2x WNBA champion asserted.

The two main stars for the New York Liberty this season have been Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. However, going by the Lynx’s lineup, they could have a difficult time if their forward Jonquel Jones doesn’t step up. Jones has often played the role of a second fiddle when either Stewie or Sab dominates the game. She averages 14.2 points with 9 rebounds per game. And if she keeps the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier busy, the Liberty will surely have their chances. So Leslie believes in her and wants to just give everything so close to the trophy.

“I’m trying to tell you the difference maker. She’s got to have the game of her life. Games of her life for the Liberty to win the championship,” Leslie stated.

Jones also averages a decent 53.8% field goals and 78.8% free throws. Therefore, if she keeps up with the performance and scores inside the paint then Sab can make the difference by building on her three-pointer range, and the Lynx will find it difficult to overcome the double-trouble. Jones is such a crucial player that even before the game against the LV Aces, she was said to be the X factor in the Liberty roster.

Sheryl Swoopes labels Jonquel Jones as the X factor

Jones had played a crucial role against the Atlanta Dream, scoring a total of 29 points in the two games. Therefore, when the Liberty were up against their arch-rivals the LV Aces in the semis, Sheryl Swoopes, instead of talking about Sab or Stewie, made Jones the central player in her strategy. Giving a similar example to Leslie, the Hall of Famer was clear that containing Jones could be difficult, especially if she worked on taking away the spotlight from their core stars, which could benefit the Liberty and Jones did just that.

“I think Jonquel Jones could be the difference-maker in this series. I don’t know who Vegas has that can defend her. A’ja is going to be matched up with Stewie. And there will be times when A’ja will guard Jonquel because AC (Alysha Clark) comes in and she will guard Stewie some. And to me, that’s a bad match up from the standpoint,” Swoopes stated.

The NY center scored 52 points in 4 games against the Aces with an exceptional 32 rebounds. The Aces found it difficult to guard her and lost the series by a 3-1 margin. Hopefully, she will replicate the same heroics against the Lynx in the Championship Finales. And perhaps that will be enough for the Liberty to win their first title.