It took an alien-like performance from Caitlin Clark to defeat the then-invincible New York Liberty 102-88. Clark dropped one of her best performances in the WNBA, scoring 32 points along with 9 assists to hand the Liberty their first loss of the season. That included a crazy run in which she dropped 3 back-to-back logo threes.
Her 32 points are the second most she has put up in a WNBA game, three fewer than the 35 she managed against the Dallas Wings in September last year. Her seven threes tied her career best, which she set against the Washington Mystics in June 2024. However, this win was with a star mark as Liberty missed Jonquell Jones and Leonie Fiebich, and this national reporter pointed this out, slightly bringing down the Indiana Fever hype.
ESPN commentator Maria Marino said on the Locked on Basketball Podcast, “All credit to Caitlin Clark and the Fever, but got to say the game doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot in the grand scheme of the season, especially with Jonquell Jones out.”
If we look at it from Liberty’s perspective and in the grand scheme of things. One loss doesn’t mean much. The defending WNBA champions already began the 2025 campaign 9-0, besting the franchise’s previous record start of 7-0 during the league’s inaugural season in 1997. It’s better than their 8-2 start last year when they went on to win the title. This year, Jonquell Jones has been instrumental in their start, along with Leoni Fiebish, as Marino further mentioned.
She said, “The obvious thing that you just can’t ignore is that Jonquell Jones was out and Leoni Feibish was out as well, who’s another starter, so down two starters, Nyara Sabally and Kennedy Burke in the starting lineup together is a little unusual for the Liberty.”
Jonquel Jones emerged as the definitive difference-maker in the Liberty’s first matchup against the Fever, delivering when the team needed her most. Down by eight in the fourth quarter, Jones sparked the comeback with a momentum-shifting three-pointer and went on to lead all scorers in the period with 14 critical points. Her physicality and presence on both ends of the court were instrumental, particularly in a category where the Liberty have consistently struggled: rebounding.
New York has ranked near the bottom of the WNBA in offensive rebounds this season, averaging just 6.6 per game. Jones has been a notable exception, averaging 10.3 total rebounds, almost twice as many as her closest teammate. Her contributions have helped the Liberty sustain offensive possessions while also limiting second-chance opportunities for opponents. The impact of her absence was stark in their earlier loss to Indiana, where New York was narrowly out-rebounded 38 to 34.
Jones’s ability to control the glass and bring a physical edge makes her indispensable to the Liberty’s rotation. As New York continues to address its rebounding woes, her role becomes even more vital, especially in close games where possession battles often dictate the outcome. To add to some similarities from the last game, Fever led 80-71 after the third quarter, but this time, Fever held on and even capitalized to eventually win by 14 points. While Nyara Sabally and Kennedy Burke were respectable replacements, Jones is just too elite to replace. She is arguably the best center in the league and has been at a high level for years, being a five-time WNBA All-Star.
Arguably, even if she was on the court against Fever, the way Clark was feeling could have even blown her away. The Indiana point guard had decided to mark her comeback from her injury with a statement performance, and it was not just her as Kelsey Mitchell stepped up in the second half. She was also at her best. The Fever put up a team performance, and sparks will once again fly when they face each other in back-to-back games in July. Jones will hopefully be back by that time, so we will see both teams at full power.
New York Liberty set for another title?
Despite a recent stumble against the Indiana Fever, the New York Liberty is reaffirming why they are the reigning champions. With a deep and battle-tested roster and a sharpened focus, the Liberty continues to play with the confidence and cohesion of a title-winning team. They are not just holding onto their crown; they are proving they remain the team to beat in the league.
New York boasts the second-best point differential of plus 15.7 for a WNBA team in its first 10 games, trailing only the 2016 Los Angeles Sparks, who had a plus 16.5 differential and started 11-0 en route to the title. They have the best offense in the league, scoring 110.8 points per 100 possessions, while also leading defensively by conceding just 91.3 points per 100 possessions. Their net rating of plus 19.7 is significantly higher than the next best, the Minnesota Lynx, who have a net rating of plus 12.6.
Historically, teams that have been as dominant as New York has been to start the season have translated that into hardware. Of the eight previous teams to outscore opponents by an average of at least 12 points over the season’s first 10 games, six won championships. For the Liberty, only 2 of their wins out of the 9 have been with less than 12 points this season.
Oct 20, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) holds up the MVP trophy after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in overtime to win the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Liberty made key offseason moves by adding Natasha Cloud and bringing back Marine Johannes. Cloud has brought the best of both worlds, combining Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s elite perimeter defense with the playmaking that Courtney Vandersloot once provided. She currently leads the team in both assists and steals, underscoring her all-around impact.
The only lingering concern remains their difficulty on the offensive glass, a weakness we have already highlighted. However, when Jonquel Jones is healthy and at full strength, her dominance on the boards often tips the scale in New York’s favor, making them superior to their opponents in nearly every other area. Meanwhile, Kennedy Burke and Nyara Sabally are showing steady improvement and are poised to play increasingly important roles as the season progresses.
They fell short against an excellent Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever side, and even the Liberty can have bad days. On the day, the Fever outplayed them, but they will have learnt from this and will be back stronger than ever. While Caitlin Clark and Co. will continue to get better and it will hopefully be a tasty race to the WNBA title.
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