The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty have been penciled in as the 2023 WNBA Finals participants since the winter, and will likely end up facing off for the title in October. But first, the two superteams, who sit first and second in the standings, will compete for another trophy: the 2023 Commissioner's Cup.
This is the third annual Commissioner's Cup, the WNBA's in-season tournament which debuted in 2021. Each season, select games from the first half of the season count as Commissioner's Cup games, and the team with the best record in said contests from each conference advances to the championship, where they compete for a $500,000 prize pool. This season, that was the Aces and Liberty.
The previous winners were the Seattle Storm (2021) and Aces (2022). Ahead of this year's action, here's everything you need to know:
How to watch Aces vs. Liberty
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 15 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Michelob ULTRA Arena -- Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: None | Live stream: Amazon Prime Video
Odds: Aces -7.5, O/U 175.5
Final Commissioner's Cup standings:
Eastern Conference
- New York Liberty: 7-3*
- Connecticut Sun: 7-3*
- Atlanta Dream: 6-4
- Washington Mystics: 5-5
- Chicago Sky: 3-7
- Indiana Fever: 2-8
*Liberty won tiebreak via head-to-head record
Western Conference
- Las Vegas Aces: 9-1
- Dallas Wings: 6-4
- Minnesota Lynx: 5-5
- Los Angeles Sparks: 5-5
- Seattle Storm: 4-6
- Phoenix Mercury: 1-9
Storylines
Aces: Earlier this month, the Aces had their eight-game winning streak snapped by the Liberty in embarrassing fashion. Since then, they've been on a mission to prove they're still the best team in the league, and have won three consecutive games by at least 20 points. They've done so thanks in large part to A'ja Wilson playing some of her best basketball of the season. She scored a career-high 40 points in their win over the Mystics, and during the winning streak is averaging 29.7 points and 11.7 rebounds on 55.4% shooting. After a brutal 2-of-14 shooting performance in the Aces' loss to the Liberty, Wilson will have plenty of motivation to keep that momentum going on Tuesday.
Liberty: Despite boasting an impressive record, the Liberty struggled to reach their full potential on a consistent basis in the first few months of the season. Since then, however, they have caught fire. Including their 38-point win over the Aces, they've won six games in a row and 14 of their last 16. Much like the Aces, they have their star player to thank for that success. Breanna Stewart recently became the first player in WNBA history to record three 40-point games in one season, and is now averaging a career-high 23.3 points per game, a mark that's good for second in the league. She'll need another big game on Tuesday, though, if the Liberty want to pick up a second straight win over their rivals.
Prediction
The Aces are at home, and with plenty to prove after their previous defeat to the Liberty, they should get the job done. Whether they cover a significant 7.5-point spread, however is another question. Pick: Aces to win, Liberty +7.5, A'ja Wilson for MVP
