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Liberty-Sun Preview

Aug 18, 2009 - 5:22 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (9-15) at Connecticut (12-11), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The road back to the WNBA playoffs just got tougher for the Connecticut Sun.

The Sun will play their first game without leading scorer Asjha Jones when they host the New York Liberty in the opener of a home-and-home set Wednesday night.

Connecticut (12-11) announced Monday that Jones will not be able to practice or play for two weeks due to recurring soreness in her left Achilles' tendon. The All-Star forward averages 16.7 points and is second on the club with 5.9 rebounds per game.

Jones' absence likely means that veteran Tamika Whitmore will join the starting lineup. Whitmore, who began her career with New York in 1999, missed 10 games after July arthroscopic knee surgery before returning to score a total of 10 points in her last three games.

The Sun have made the playoffs all six years since moving to Connecticut from Orlando in 2003, but returning this year will not be easy in the tightly bunched Eastern Conference. If Jones comes back after two weeks, she will have missed seven of Connecticut's final 11 games.

New York (9-15) is trying to climb back into the playoff picture despite being in last place in the East. The Liberty are playing at Mohegan Sun Arena for the first time since they won 66-62 on Sept. 22, eliminating the Sun in Game 3 of a first-round series.

The last time these teams met, New York lost 66-57 at home in its season opener June 7. Lindsay Whalen had 14 points and 12 assists for the Sun.

That defeat may have set the tone for New York's dismal season. The club has matched its loss total of 2008 and interim coach Anne Donovan replaced Pat Coyle on July 31.

The Liberty won their second straight road game Sunday as Janel McCarville's three-point play with 9.1 seconds remaining lifted them to a 60-59 victory over Washington.

"We held their runs," McCarville said. "I really felt in the last couple of minutes that we were going to be able to pull it off, and we did ... in dramatic fashion I might add."

Connecticut also played at Washington in its last game, losing 91-89 in double overtime Friday. Jones scored 23 points and Whalen added 20.

"Overall I thought we played hard," Whalen said. "You don't really know what to say after a game like this. So many swings of emotion back and forth. Its just a tough way to lose."

New York and Connecticut will meet at Madison Square Garden on Friday.