The Indiana Fever will return to Brooklyn to face off against the New York Liberty Tuesday, and this time around the defending champions will be firing on all cylinders. In other words: Jonquel Jones is back, a fact that is likely to make the Fever's attempt to win all the more difficult.
The Fever might be more aware of the potent power of Jones than anyone — at least, that's how it sounded when the team's head coach Stephanie White spoke about the game to reporters Monday.
Jones' return "changes how you play" the Liberty, White said. "I mean, certainly her ability, with her size on the interior and what they look for from her ... and her ability to pick and pop" will change how the Fever covers the floor. "On the defensive end, they're already long and athletic, and it just brings more size and physicality for AB," White added.
Jonquel Jones is a crucial part of the Liberty's season
The Liberty came into the 2025 season as the team to beat, and managed to hold off the rest of the league until their first loss — which, coincidentally, was to the Indiana Fever in June. Since then, the team has lost five games, and most of those losses happened with Jones off the court.
To her credit, Jones was also enjoying a tremendous season before spraining her right ankle last month. While it was noted Jones managed to avoid a more serious injury, the team's medical staff said at the time she could miss up to 6 weeks of play./
That was tough news for the team and it immediately cast a shadow over their championship odds. Without her on the floor, the Liberty have been missing 12.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game — and it shows.
The Liberty and Fever are tied against one another this season
Right now, both teams have won one game when they've played each other, so Tuesday's match-up is important. The Fever have a 12-11 record and are currently sitting in the middle of the league, where they are ranked sixth. By contrast, the Liberty have a 15-6 record sand are ranked second (just below the Lynx and just above the Mercury).
A win for the Fever would be an incredible statement for the team, especially as star Caitlin Clark is out with her fourth injury of the 2025 season. But a win for the Liberty? That would send a strong message that the defending champions are looking to repeat, something that's not typically easy to do — and it would be a message the rest of the league should certainly take heed of.