Pinned
Link copied
The Las Vegas Aces are WNBA champions, again. Despite missing star point guard Chelsea Gray and starting center Kiah Stokes, the Aces battled their way to a thrilling title-clinching 70-69 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday night. With the win, they are the first team since the 2001-2002 Los Angeles Sparks to go back-to-back. A'ja Wilson was named Finals MVP, her first career win.
As expected, the Liberty jumped out to an early double-digit lead against the shorthanded Aces, and controlled the majority of the first 25 minutes. But towards the end of the third quarter, the Aces went on a big run to take the lead going into the fourth, and carried that momentum into the final frame.
In fact, they led by as much as seven before the Liberty clawed their way back into the game and tied things up with 2:44 to play on a Jonquel Jones putback. But the Aces refused to buckle to the pressure and ripped off a 6-0 run. When Wilson put them up 70-64 with 1:27 remaining, it seemed certain they would hold on. Not so much, as it turned out.
Courtney Vandersloot buried a 3-pointer out of the timeout, then stole the ball from Kelsey Plum, which led to a jumper by Sabrina Ionescu. In the blink of an eye, the Liberty had cut the deficit to one at 70-69. And after another stop on the other end, had the ball with a chance to win the game.
But the Aces refused to let this one slip away. Alysha Clark prevented Breanna Stewart from getting to the basket, and Jackie Young arrived to force the ball out of the league MVP's hands. Stewart kicked it out to Betnijah Laney, who spotted Courtney Vandersloot open in the corner, but could not deliver a precise pass. Vandersloot was able to eventually gather and get a shot off, but it was rushed and nowhere close.
The Aces were heavy underdogs in this game and probably should have lost, but their toughness and championship experience proved to be the difference-maker down the stretch. Wilson finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds in another marvelous display, while Jackie Young added 16 points and seven assists, including some huge fourth-quarter buckets. Even Cayla George, who had played 17 minutes in the postseason prior to Game 4, chipped in with three 3-pointers and 11 points.
For the Liberty, this is a heartbreaking end to such an exciting season. They had countless chances to run away with this game, but missed open shot after open shot, including half a dozen layups. Stewart finished a shockingly poor postseason by shooting 3-of-17 from the field. As a team, they shot 36.1% and turned the ball over 13 times.
