NEW YORK LIBERTY LOSE JONQUEL JONES TO ANKLE INJURY

The New York Liberty lost to the Chicago Sky 93-86 on Tuesday, with star player Jonquel Jones sustaining an ankle injury during the match. Breanna Stewart, speaking after the game, acknowledged the setback but expressed hope that Jones would return quickly. Stewart said the team needed to adopt a "next-one-up mentality" and improve its response to injuries. No official timeline for Jones's return has been announced.

The Liberty have faced multiple injury problems this season. Sabrina Ionescu has missed 12 games, Satou Sabally has appeared in only 13 games due to concussion issues, and Leonie Fiebich has missed 21 games. Han Xu stepped up in Tuesday's match, recording 12 points and seven rebounds, while Pauline Astier has been logging heavy minutes in recent weeks. Despite these absences, the Liberty hold a 22-15 record and sixth place in the league standings.

The playoffs are approximately seven games away, and the Liberty will need their full roster healthy to compete. Stewart acknowledged that while individual players like Xu had performed well, more was needed to fill the gap left by Jones's absence. Head coach Chris DeMarco has relied heavily on Xu and Astier to manage the depleted frontcourt.