Jonquel Jones delivers WNBA Finals MVP performance to bail out Ice-cold Ionescu and Stewart

NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu's first shot hit the side of the backboard. Another one soon after hit nothing at all.

After making one of the most memorable shots in WNBA history to win Game 3, the All-Star guard became Ice-cold Ionescu the rest of the way.

Ionescu shot 1 for 19 from the floor on Sunday and Breanna Stewart wasn't a whole lot better, but the New York Liberty got an MVP performance from Jonquel Jones to bail out her fellow two stars.

Jones finished with 17 points and six rebounds in the Liberty's 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday night and was rewarded with the WNBA Finals award.

“Her dominance in the paint, on the boards, help-side defense, everything that we needed, she was there,” Stewart said. “She had to wait a while to get to this point, to get to the finals to win a championship. But the wait was worth it.”

Ionescu finished with five points, though she added eight assists and seven rebounds. Stewart shot 4 for 15, ending up with 13 points and 15 boards.

“Just did whatever it took to win," Ionescu said during the trophy presentation. "Believed in my teammates, believed in this entire organization. It takes everyone. You don’t do this alone, and we did it in New York.”

The Liberty built what they hoped was their version of the kind of super-team that wins titles when they brought in Stewart from Seattle, where she was a two-time WNBA Finals MVP, and Jones from Connecticut, where she lost in the 2019 finals, to join Ionescu, their No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft.

They got the Liberty to the WNBA Finals last year and to the best record in the league this season, but it appeared they would fall short of a title as Ionescu and Stewart continued to misfire.

Ionescu opened the game by missing her first 13 shots, giving her 15 straight misses dating to Game 4, before finally hitting for the only time all night on a 3-pointer with 3:10 remaining that gave the Liberty a 56-52 lead.

But after Minnesota surged ahead for a 60-58 lead, it looked as if the superstars' struggles were going to doom the Liberty for good. Stewart missed two free throws with 38 seconds remaining but the Liberty batted out the rebound, only for Ionescu to miss a 3-pointer, then another one after New York again regained possession.

The Liberty got it to overtime when Stewart hit two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation. Recalling the two previous misses, she told herself: “No, I can’t do this again, I can’t. I have to be here.”

New York then got baskets from Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally in OT to win it.

New York was hoping to avoid Game 5 entirely after Ionescu's 28-footer gave the Liberty an 80-77 victory in Game 3. But she shot 5 for 16 in Game 4, missing all five 3-pointers, and Stewart was just 5 for 20 for 11 points.

But the 6-for-6 Jones was the workhorse the Liberty needed, finishing with averages of 18 points and eight rebounds in the series. That included 10 points in the first half Sunday to keep the Liberty close while Ionescu and Stewart were combining with just Stewart's five.

“What makes her difficult is you’re spending a lot of time guarding Sabrina and Stewie in some of those schemes that created mismatches,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “But we’re going to live with some of that.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Lynx during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) is double teamed by Minnesota Lynx forward Dorka Juhasz (14) and forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

FILE - Las Vegas Aces' Kelsey Plum, right, defends New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu during the second half in Game 4 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series, Oct. 18, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) battles for a rebound against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) and Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) battle for a loose ball during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) puts up a shot against Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Lynx during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) reacts after being given the MVP Award after winning the championship against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Russell Wilson sat at the podium, uniform still on, in no rush to move on from a moment he believed would always come.

Even as the weeks passed and his aching calf struggled to get better. Even as Justin Fields deftly guided the Pittsburgh Steelers in his place. Even as the outside noise of a potential quarterback controversy seemed to be growing ever louder.

Belief is a big thing for the 35-year-old Wilson. He believed he would get an opportunity to reset his career in Pittsburgh. And while the start may have come a little later than he would have preferred, Wilson offered proof he's not close to finished during a 37-15 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday night.

Wilson threw for two touchdowns and passed for another score. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 264 yards, shaking off some early rust and ignoring the boos and brief chants for Fields when the offense sputtered in the first half. An 11-yard lob to George Pickens for a touchdown late in the first half allowed Wilson to exhale.

"I was like, ‘There’s going to be a lot more of these I believe,’” Wilson said.

While there weren't any more scores to Pickens, there was a 1-yard touchdown run on a sneak in the third quarter and a 4-yard flip to Van Jefferson in the fourth as Pittsburgh (5-2) topped 30 points in consecutive weeks for the first time since early in the 2020 season.

“We’re just right on that edge of getting really good and being great,” Wilson said. “We’ve got to keep searching for that edge, learning and studying and spending the time on it.”

Though he's not quite in the “Let Russ Cook” era of his prime, Wilson looked more than capable in front of a packed crowd that included Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Pittsburgh ripped off the game's final 31 points after spotting the Jets a 15-6 lead.

“We’re doing some good things and the reality is that there’s so much more out there and we’ll get better as we go,” Wilson said. "We’ll keep working but to be where we are in a good place.”

The Jets (2-5), not so much.

New York's retooled offense — which now includes Davante Adams, who was reunited with Rodgers this week after being acquired in a trade with Las Vegas — couldn't keep up the Jets dropped their fourth consecutive game and seond under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.

“That game, especially that second half, that’s not who this team is,” Ulbrich said. “That’s not good enough and it starts with me and the coaching staff and goes down to every single player on this team. We can all give more and we will give more.”

New York will have to if it wants to get back into contention in the AFC East. Rodgers passed for 276 yards with a touchdown and connected with Adams three times for 30 yards, but also had two passes intercepted by rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop and the Steelers turned those into game-turning scores.

The Jets were up nine and had a chance to extend their lead in the first half when Bishop stepped in front of Rodgers' pass intended for Garrett Wilson at midfield for his first career interception. Pickens first touchdown of the season soon followed.

Chris Boswell kicked the third of three field goals midway through the third quarter to put the Steelers in front when Bishop struck again.

Rodgers tried to hit Garrett Wilson down the left sideline on New York’s next possession, but the ball bounced off Wilson and into Bishop’s hands. Bishop raced to the Jets 1, only failing to score because a sprinting Adams chased him down just short of the goal line.

No matter, Wilson bulled his way into the end zone on the next play. A scoring toss to Jefferson early in the fourth gave the Steelers the kind of breathing room that's been rare the last handful of seasons for a team that has played more one-score games than anyone since the start of 2021.

Tomlin raised some eyebrows earlier in the week when he opted to turn to Wilson over Fields, who had racked up 10 touchdowns (five passing, five rushing) against just one turnover in six starts. Tomlin’s reasoning was simple: The Steelers had been good, but “not to be confused with great.”

Asked afterward how challenging it was to give the starting job to Wilson in the face of Fields' play, Tomlin smiled.

“That's why I'm well compensated," the NFL's longest-tenured coach said before walking away.

Jets: G Xavier Newman was carted off with a neck injury after getting blocked on Bishop’s interception return early in the second half. He was taken to the hospital for observation. X-rays were negative and Newman was able to fly how with the team. ... G Alijah Vera-Tucker injured an ankle in the second quarter and did not return. ... S Tony Adams left with a hamstring injury. ... S Ashtyn Davis was evaluated for a concussion.

Steelers: DT Montravius Adams exited in the first half with a knee injury. ... CB Donte Jackson left in the first half with a shoulder injury.

Jets: At New England next Sunday.

Steelers: Host the New York Giants on Monday, Oct. 28.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) celebrates his touchdown with offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (65) in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) talks on the bench in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (31) celebrates his interception with linebacker Payton Wilson (41) in the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (31) returns an interception in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts from the sideline in the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) celebrates a first down catch in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) pulls in a pass reception against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attends the Pittsburgh Steelers game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Pittsburgh, with Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP)

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) celebrates his touchdown reception against New York Jets with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)