Missing Jonquel Jones for well over a month earlier this season and Breanna Stewart for two weeks and counting hasn’t helped the New York Liberty in their quest to gain home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

It has, however, thrust Sabrina Ionescu into the WNBA Most Valuable Player race.

Not that the All-Star guard wouln’t prefer to pile up wins alongside the two former MVPs over chasing personal accolades of her own without them.

“Just trying to set the tone,” Ionescu said humbly after putting up a season-high 36 points, one shy of her career best, grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds and handing out four assists in New York’s slump-busting 87-78 win at Connecticut Sunday in front of 8,747 fans at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Though Jones returned right after the All-Star break and Stewart h

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