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It’s been one heck of a month for Brionna Jones.
The 28-year-old closed the regular season strong for the Connecticut Sun in September, averaging a team-best 17.2 points on nearly 63 percent shooting from the field. Her post work and pick-and-roll finishing were superb during that nine-game run.
Unfortunately for the Sun, she hasn’t been able to replicate that in the postseason.
Through four games, Jones has scored 20 points—in total. She’s 9-of-25 (36%) from the field, with more turnovers (seven) than assists (five). Battling against the Fever’s Aliyah Boston in round one and dueling against the Lynx’s talented frontcourt isn’t easy, but she’s outright failed to make a significant impact offensively.
The Sun naturally need her scoring, but for her to provide plus-value, she needs to bring the scoring to the table. She is firmly in the do-your-job category defensively—the Sun have oscillated between playing her at the level of screens and hanging back in drop coverage.
Both the Fever and Lynx have dinged her with ball screens so far. The Lynx, in particular, have had success emptying a side before attacking Jones, forcing her (and the screen navigator ahead of her) to execute to perfection or risk giving up an opening.
The Sun have been able to win a round and steal home-court advantage from the Lynx in spite of this; both Veronica Burton and Olivia Nelson-Ododa deserve credit for their minutes as Connecticut has opted to use smaller combinations.
Ultimately, the Sun won’t win a title getting this level of productivity from Jones. Maybe the return to Connecticut on Friday will ignite something in the All-Star.
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