Tag: New York Liberty

Aces Fall to WNBA Number One New York Liberty 79-67

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The Las Vegas Aces Guard Jackie Young (0) takes the ball down the floor against the New York Liberty’s guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Aug 17, 2024 (photo by the Las Vegas Aces)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (16-9) took on the New York Liberty (23-4), returning for their first league game since the Paris Olympics. They had a great start but they could not sustain that momentum. The Liberty went on to win the next three quarters after dropping the opening quarter 28-24. A’Ja Wilson had another terrific game with a double double finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds but it was just not enough to get past New York losing 79-67 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Game recap: Las Vegas got a nice start winning the opening quarter and leading 28-24 after the first ten minutes. The Liberty came roaring back punishing the Aces 18-8 in the second quarter taking a 42-36 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Aces struggled with far too many turnovers in the first half committing six in the second quarter alone and they really fell short rebounding. The Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu went on a crazy run which accounted for the success that the Liberty had not only in the second quarter but in the remainder of the game.. The Aces had some work to do in the second half.

Las Vegas got close in the third quarter trailing by as little as two points but were never able to take the lead. After three quarters, the Aces still trailed 59-51 as the Liberty continued to flex their muscle. Las Vegas needed the physicality and tenacity that they had in the first quarter if there was any chance to win this game. Las Vegas has been a fourth quarter team this season and they were hoping to continue on this path in the final quarter.

Jackie Young had a quiet first half and the team would really need her in the fourth quarter. She only scored two points in the first half of play. In the early minutes of the final quarter, the Liberty had established a ten-point lead 62-52.

The Aces challenged a play in the fourth quarter but it did not go Las Vegas’ way and head coach Becky Hammond was not happy with the result and also not happy with the way the team was playing.

The Aces were just not knocking down shots in the first four minutes of the quarter but they had no choice but to take as many shots as possible. At 6:23 the Aces started to make a push pulling to within four points 67-63.

Mid-way through the quarter Las Vegas began to struggle making shots, not taking advantage of a lot of opportunities and falling behind by a significant margin 75-63. With under five minutes left in the game the Liberty had taken their largest lead so far and Las Vegas was running out of time. The final was 79-67 in favor of the Liberty.

A’Ja Wilson had a double double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray each had 13 points and Gray also turned in six rebounds. Jackie Young had a rough game only scoring four points; two points in the first half and two in the second. The Aces really cleaned up the turnovers with none in the second half.

Game notes: Saturday afternoon, the Aces got down to business after an amazing showing in the Paris Olympics. They took on the Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena as play got back underway in the 2024 season which is rapidly winding down.

The teams will now fight for the eight places in the playoffs. Olympic teammates will return to their respective teams as play has already gotten underway the first games played last Thursday. The Las Vegas Aces dropped to fifth place in the WNBA, and dropped into third place in the Western Conference after Saturday’s loss. The Liberty right now are sitting on top of the League with a 23 and 4 record. This game was expected to be a real dogfight between two of the best teams in the WNBA but the Liberty just laid into the Aces coming away with a 12 point win.

Sunday, the Aces will be back on the court in Las Vegas taking on the Los Angeles Sparks. The Aces will not only be looking to get back on track but they will also be concentrating on moving up in the standings in the final season push with 15 games left in the regular season for the team. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

Aces Slow Start Spearheads Loss to Chicago Sky 93-85

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The Chicago Sky’s forward Michaela Onyenwere (12) defends against the Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Jul 16, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

Las Vegas Aces (16-7) struggled through the first quarter trailing by 19 points after the first 12 minutes. They continued to challenge throughout the game getting close but never led once. It was a real battle in the fourth quarter with the Aces getting as close as a single point but they were unable to get on top.

The Chicago Sky (9-14) won the game 93-85. A’Ja Wilson fought through this game finishing with a double double, 28 points and 14 rebounds but the Aces came up just short despite her effort.

Game recap: The first quarter of this game was all Sky. They came out hard and fast and when the clock wound down on the first 12 minutes of this game, Chicago had taken a 25-12 lead and the Aces had some work to do in the second quarter.

The Sky had so far controlled the pace of this game and Las Vegas had to do a better job containing Chennedy Carter who already had scored 14 points. Chicago owned the shots from the field, from downtown and was out-rebounding the Aces 14 to 9.

Poor shooting was killing Las Vegas through the first half of the second quarter. With 4:50 left in the half, the Sky had taken a 40-21 lead. The Aces could not buy a long ball and Chicago was shooting at 44.4 % from downtown while Las Vegas was struggling only hitting 14.3 %.

They were getting shellacked. The Aces have not struggled like this at home all season. As the half came to an end, the Aces turned this game completely around after trailing by as much as 19.

Chicago continued to lead at the half but their lead had been cut to 44-37 as the Aces pushed back with ferocity. Las Vegas had a horrible start to this game but they were back on track going into the second half.

The Sky pushed their lead back to ten points 60-50 six minutes into the third quarter. Kelsey Plum continued to struggle only hitting two points for the entire game. The Sky had established a 12 point lead for much of the quarter and after three quarters, they continued to lead 69-63 and the Aces had one quarter left in this game to right the ship. Known for turning games around in the fourth quarter, they would have to show up in this one if they had any chance to win the game.

Las Vegas did indeed challenge in the fourth quarter trailing by a single point 73-72 with over seven minutes left in the game. Tiffany Hayes was having a great game off the bench hitting 14 points through three quarters and A’Ja Wilson already had another double double with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

With 7:15 left on the clock, the Sky were forced to take a full timeout and attempt to re-group as the Aces continued to forge a comeback. With 4:54 left in the game it continued to be a one-point game 75-74 with the Sky leading.

At 3:52, Las Vegas had at long last tied up this game at 77. The Aces had been unable to take the lead throughout the game as the Sky punched back taking an 88-81 lead with 1:32 left in the game and the Aces were running out of time.

Chicago had proven to be a most worthy opponent beating the defending champions 93-85. This was the Sky’s first win over Las Vegas in two years and they did in style.

The Aces were challenged the entire game by Chennedy Carter unable to contain herself and she finished with the game high 34 points. She led the way in this Chicago win. The slow start for Las Vegas was the determining factor and they never really recovered.

Game notes: Tuesday night the Aces took on the Sky at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Las Vegas ended their winning streak at four with the loss to the Sky. With the loss they fall a half game back behind first place Seattle in the Western Conference .

The Sky have come a long way since earlier in the season when they struggled with a .500 record at 6-6 record. The Sky have struggled at times this season but this not a team that you can take at all lightly as the Aces found out. They gave the Aces a run for their money despite being on the road.

A’Ja Wilson finished this game with a double double, 28 points and 14 rebounds. Jackie Young had 17 points but Kelsey Plum struggled through the game with only two points at the half and eight points for the game. Tiffany Hayes had a nice game off the bench with 19 points.

The Aces will continue their season on Saturday August 17 taking on the New York Liberty with tipoff scheduled for 1:00 PM.

Defending Champion Aces Fall to New York Liberty 90-82

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It was all an uphill battle for A’ja Wilson (22) and the Las Vegas Aces against the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Jun 15, 2024 (Getty)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (6-6) remained close in their matchup with the New York Liberty (12-2) through the first half. of this game. The Liberty went on a 14-0 run in the middle of the third quarter which turned this game sideways for the Aces. Las Vegas came up short in this one losing 90-82. There was good news for Las Vegas however.

They will really power up when Chelsea Gray returns from her injury. They did not have their best offensive effort in the later minutes of the third quarter and a different outcome is a distinct possibility in their August 17 matchup and even more plausible in September when they meet up on the 8th.

The Liberty came out strong taking a 28-20 lead after the first ten minutes of play. The way that the Aces have struggled this season the quick start from New York was concerning. Las Vegas countered however, winning the second quarter 23-17 but did trail at the half 45-43. They had a much improved quarter.

Game recap: Going into the third quarter, the Las Vegas Aces trailed but we’re very much in this game. New York however, mounted a 14-0 run in the middle of the third quarter building a seven-point lead 67-60. It would all come down to who could ride this one out in the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter Kelsey Plum was hooked in an obvious foul which left her down on the court. The Liberty recovered the ball on the no call and drove down court to sink a three taking a ten-point lead 70-60. With Plum down on the other end of the court the Aces were trying to defend with a 4-5 situation. Through three quarters the Liberty were outplaying the Aces from inside and outside. The game had taken an ugly turn for the Aces.

With just under six minutes left in the game Jackie Young had committed her fifth personal. With every Las Vegas bucket, New York answered and the Aces were running out of time with under four minutes left in the game.

With so little time left on the clock, the Aces were faced with having to play a perfect game and try to overlook some of the calls in the second half which were questionable. They did not even come close to a near perfect game in fact, it was the Liberty who rose to the occasion. With under two minutes left on the clock and the Liberty in control leading 88-74 it was all but a done deal. The final was 90-82 in favor of the Liberty, their eighth win in a row.

Kelsey Plum was the high score for the Aces with 22 points and A’ja Wilson right behind with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Kiah Stokes had a terrific game with 12 rebounds. Alysha Clark chipped in 13 points in the loss. Chelsea Gray did not play which was a coach’s decision but with her listed on the player roster her return could be eminent.

The high score for the Liberty was Jonquel Jones with 34 points and 8 rebounds. The 6’6″ forward had an amazing game spurring her team on to the win.

Despite the loss, there is optimism for Las Vegas. The return of Chelsea Gray could very well change things drastically for the team. While there is room for improvement on the defensive side of the ball, the shortcomings are very fixable. They did not have their best offensive effort today so that will no doubt improve. There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel for the Las Vegas Aces.

Game notes: Saturday afternoon the matchup that everyone had been anticipating took place at Michelob ULTRA Arena between the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. This was a clash between the two super teams of 2023.

The question that looms right now, are both of these teams super this season. The Liberty have had a great start this season with a record of 12-2. They are rolling. As far as the Las Vegas Aces, they don’t appear to be what one could consider super right now. They have struggled this season with a 6-6 record, they are still missing Chelsea Gray, their defense has some cracks and they are considered the underdogs in this game.

After a brief illness Jackie Young was back and appeared to be in great form scoring 34 points in their last game, a win over Phoenix. Neither of these teams are at the top of the standings right now. With the incredible success that the Las Vegas Aces have enjoyed for the past five seasons teams around the league are focusing on ways to build, ways to take them down and six teams have indeed beaten Las Vegas so far this season.

It would appear that despite the great New York start the super team era could very well have reached the end of its rope. This year’s champion is a crapshoot at this point in the season. There are so many vying teams right now with the Lynx, the Storm, the Sun and the Liberty all viable.

Las Vegas will be back on the court Wednesday night on their home court taking on the Seattle Storm. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: MGM says lack of A’s ballpark blueprints is putting them behind schedule for construction; NBA All-Star contest winners; plus more news

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The MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is waiting for an answer from the Oakland Athletics on a design that will connect a pedestrian bridge to the new ballpark. Without the design the MGM can not proceed with construction and the A’s non decision is holding up their plans. (Nevada Independent photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Top topic lack of Las Vegas A’s plans are stalling MGM Grand remodeling plans. The MGM is waiting for the future Las Vegas A’s to come up with with blueprints so they can figure in their remodeling plans. MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said he’s been shown three different plans as to where the ballpark will sit on the site. Problem is the A’s do not have a definite design that has been decided on and Hornbuckle wants to get on with his construction at the MGM so he can build a pedestrian bridge to the ballpark.

#2 The A’s further have met with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority and have not come to an agreement for a lease extension that would have them play at the Coliseum from 2025-27 three years. Major League Baseball is in a bit of a pickle the A’s need to make a decision soon as the 2025 schedules come out in July but the City of Oakland wants MLB to guarantee an expansion team for Oakland and Rob Manfred said the Bay Area already has a team and that should be good enough.

#3 The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry edged out the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu in the three point contest at the NBA All Star Game in Indianapolis Saturday night 29-26. Ionescu hit seven straight three points for the 26 points.

#4 Mac McClung won back to back slam dunk contests and is now the fifth NBA player to have back to back wins in the slam dunk competition. McClung surpassed Shaq O’Neil with a 50 point slam over all people Shaq who was holding the ball above his had for the record setting dunk.

#5 Wanted to get a chance to ask you about the firing of former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks who got the blame for the 49ers loss in the Super Bowl. Talk about what mistakes he made and how does a defensive coordinator who contributed highly on his defense takes a team to the Super Bowl and ends up getting fired?

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Aces Will Their Way To A Back To Back Championship Against all Odds 70-69

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Las Vegas Aces A’Ja Wilson (left) and owner Mark Davis (right) celebrate the Aces second consecutive championship with teammates at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn against the New York Liberty on Wed Oct 18, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Against all odds the Las Vegas Aces won a back to back championship 70-69 at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. Despite playing behind the eight ball for most of the game they refused to give in. Every single player on the floor in this game was a part of this win. In the final possession Alysha Clark had the tough call guarding Breanna Stewart and she did not disappoint.

Wednesday evening the Las Vegas Aces (3-1) took on the New York Liberty (1-3) in game four of the WNBA championship series. The Aces dug deep as they faced their most daunting challenge in this game.

The shocking news for Las Vegas was the loss of not only starter point guard Chelsea Gray but also center Kiah Stokes both seen court side with boots and Stokes wearing not only a boot but walking with crutches.

It was a real blow for the Aces. They were so close to a back to back championship leading the series 2-1 but they were able to get over the hurdle. Gray’s absence on the court hurt since she has been a huge reason for their success this season and that was a real gut punch.

This is a tough bunch and the Aces had their core group step up. A’Ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young showed up big. Alysha Clark and Cayla George filled in on the starting roster.

Game 4 recap: There was a “hold your breath” moment in the early minutes of the first quarter. Jackie Young went down and remained down on the court for a bit but was apparently collecting herself.

A sigh of relief for Las Vegas as Young was able to get up albeit rubbing her left knee. Las Vegas could ill afford another injury. The Aces led early but the Liberty took the lead with under two minutes left in the first ten minutes 21-11.

The Aces defensive effort was almost palpable; they were trying with everything they could muster but they had some reckless turnovers that hurt them. Making things worse, A’Ja Wilson was on the bench with two personal fouls. The Liberty were creating chaos on the court and the Aces were having a lot of trouble handling New York. The Liberty led after one quarter 23-13.

The Aces continued to fight in the second quarter and cut the New York lead to four points 25-21. The Liberty came charging back and extended their lead to seven but Las Vegas would not be denied and five minutes into the quarter they trailed by a single basket 24-27.

The Aces pulled too within one point in the closing minutes but fell apart as the clock ran out missing four shots in a row with yet another turnover. The Liberty took a 39-30 lead into the locker room at the half.

Las Vegas won the second quarter by a single digit 17-16. They really had it going for a while in the second quarter but they would have to do it consistently in the second half. The Aces really cut down on the turnovers in the quarter with only two but they would need an even stronger offense if they hoped to get past a fully loaded Liberty team.

At halftime not a single Las Vegas player had double digits. They would need a whole lot more from Young and Plum who finished the first half with only five points apiece. The Liberty’s Betnijah Laney had 11 and Courtney Vandersloot had 12.

The Aces were able to contain the always dangerous Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. They only managed 11 points between the three of them which was huge for the Aces. The key to a victory would be continued containment of Stewart, Ionescu and Jones as well as driving the basket for more points in the paint.

The Las Vegas Aces clawed their way into a winning third quarter 23-12 and leading 53-51 after three. They were one quarter away from a championship against all odds. The Aces went on a 16-2 run in the fourth quarter leading 60-53 but let that lead get away.

With 6:34 left in the game, the Las Vegas lead had dwindled to 60-58 and they had let the Liberty back into the game. With under five minutes left in the game it was all tied up at 62. The Aces started taking ill-advised shots and missing badly.

Las Vegas continued to fight through the fatigue which had to play a factor in this game and they had to take care of the basketball in the final three minutes. The Aces continued to keep B Stewart under wraps holding her to 3 of 17 shots.

With 41.7 left in the game Las Vegas had a 70-69 lead in a real nail-biter. With the 70-69 lead and 8.8 left on the clock the ball was in the hands of the Liberty. Clark had the unenviable task of guarding superstar Stewart and it was Clark who brought the championship home. The Aces had to call on every ounce of strength left in them in a most gritty performance.

After an amazing season the MVP Award went to Wilson who finished this game with another double double. She had 24 points and an amazing 16 rebounds. Young, George and Clark all finished with double digits. So now the Las Vegas Aces are Champions once again in this amazing dynasty.

Aces Drop Game Three As Liberty Force a Game Four 87-73

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The Las Vegas Aces A’Ja Wilson (22) tries to drive on the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart (30) in first half action in game 3 of the WNBA Finals at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Liberty had a beautiful game plan and executed it to perfection winning game three 87-73. Kelsey Plum had the high in this game with 29 points but it was just not enough to get past New York. Chelsea Gray left the court with an apparent right left injury in the fourth quarter. Losing Gray would be a devastating blow to Las Vegas.

Sunday afternoon the Las Vegas Aces (34-6) came into Barclays Center looking to finish off the New York Liberty (32-9) and take a back-to-back championship. The Liberty put the brakes on that sentiment. They were playing at home in this game and this team is nothing to mess with especially after the embarrassment they suffered last Wednesday night at the hands of Las Vegas 104-76.

The Liberty are a desperate team coming into this game and a desperate team is a dangerous team. While they had some great success during the season against the Aces, this is the finals and all bets are off. Having a 2-0 series lead is huge for Las Vegas and the odds are clearly on their side.

The opening quarter was a puzzling one. Both teams looked stale and it took a few minutes to get this game going. Las Vegas had some ugly turnovers in the first quarter. Both the Aces and the Liberty had trouble making shots but they got it going as the quarter wore on. The Liberty took a nine point lead with under two minutes left in the opening quarter but the Aces continued to push back trailing by three points at the quarters end 21-18.

New York continued to press the Aces in the second quarter. The most the Liberty led by in the second quarter was eight points and at the half it continued to be a three point game 43-40. The two teams had shot for 22 points apiece in the second quarter. New York who is the best three point scoring team in the league was giving the Aces a run for their money. Every time the Aces threatened, the Liberty poured it on but they were unable to take a sizable lead.

The Liberty got a nice lead going in the third quarter 51-40 at 6:47. The Aces had some disturbing turnovers in the quarter and the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones was having an amazing and dominating game from the start, and there was no shutting her down.

Mid-way through the quarter the Aces already had ten turnovers, some of them very careless. Kelsey Plum was the only Las Vegas player with double digits. The Liberty had shut down the rest of the starters including A’Ja Wilson who had only 11 points by the quarters end.

As the quarter began to wear down the Liberty had taken a 14-point lead, the largest lead in the game so far. The Aces would have to pull out all the stops in the fourth quarter to get past a determined Liberty squad trailing after three quarters 61-50.

The fourth quarter would decide if the Liberty could push this series into a game four. The Aces while known for being a second half team did not live up to their reputation in the third quarter and would have one more quarter to make a move.

It was slow going for Las Vegas but after trailing by 11 points had cut it to six points as they continued to chip away at the Liberty’s lead. It got even tougher in the final minutes of the quarter for the Aces when Chelsea Gray limped off to the locker room with an apparent right leg injury seemingly in terrible pain.

When the Aces were looking to make their move, they lost Gray and at that point the Liberty just took over the game. New York had their largest lead of the game with under two minutes left 84-67. There was no stopping the Liberty as they kept this series alive.

The Las Vegas Aces remain one game away from the promised land but should the team lose Chelsea Gray it would be a horrible blow. She is a vital part of this team and playing without her would be a tough call .

Kelsey Plum finished with the team high of 29 points. A’Ja Wilson had a double double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Aces will no doubt take what happened on the floor today personally and will come out with a new resolve as they try to finish off this series in game four. They do not want to have to go back to Las Vegas tied in the series 2-2. Tipoff for game four is scheduled for Wednesday night October 18 at 5:00 PM.

Las Vegas Aces Beat New York Liberty In Total Domination 104-76

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Things are going so right for the Las Vegas Aces that even forward A’Ja Wilson (22) is gliding through the air with the greatest of ease in game 2 of the WNBA Championship against the visiting New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Wed Oct 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Aces Superstar A’Ja Wilson show-cased her mid-range shots all night finishing with 26 points and 15 rebounds. She was instrumental in the Las Vegas domination of the New York Liberty winning game two 104-76 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The Aces lead the series 2-0 with a chance to close it out and take a back-to-back championship this Sunday in New York City for game 3.

Wednesday night the Las Vegas Aces (2-0) have a chance to take a 2-0 series lead as they meet the New York Liberty (0-2) in the WNBA championship series. Playing game 2 Wednesday night at this is a huge game, that with a win, could make such a difference in this series for the Aces. The first two quarters in game one were very close and Las Vegas did not make a move until the second half of that game. They will be looking to get a fast start in game two.

The first quarter was an Aces’ blowout winning the opener 38-19. Wilson had 12 points in the first quarter and seven rebounds. When it looked as if the Aces had total control of this game everything changed as happens so often in this sport.

The Aces had one of the biggest quarters they have ever seen in the playoffs in the first quarter. The offensive effort was off the charts but in all fairness New York struggled mightily in the opening quarter and knowing this team they would turn things around and they sure did in the second quarter.

The second quarter was like night and day. The New York offense came to life in a big way and after trailing by as much as 22 points had cut the Aces’ lead to 52-44 at the half. The Liberty took Wilson out of the game in the second quarter allowing only a single basket from the superstar. The good news for the Aces was their second half reputation; finishing off opponents in third and fourth quarters. They would need to live up to this reputation to beat New York.

The Aces went right to work to right this ship in the third quarter. The Aces doubled their eight point lead in the first two minutes of the quarter. The Liberty could not control the deadly mid-range shots of Wilson.

She just does not miss and with 6:21 left in the third, the Aces had taken a 64-47 lead. As this game went on it became apparent that second chance shots would be a huge factor in the outcome.

This had become a real roller-coaster of a game with the amazing first quarter start for the Aces followed by the 25-14 second quarter for the Liberty. The third quarter was back in Las Vegas’ court with amazing offensive output. Through three quarters Wilson already had 24 points and 11 rebounds, another double double.

After three quarters Las Vegas led 80-57. The Aces won the quarter 28-13 and through three quarters already had 27 assists. They were one quarter away from a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Three minutes into the final quarter Las Vegas had taken an 87-58 lead and the Aces were leaving the Liberty in the dust. With under six minutes left in the game Las Vegas was toying with a 30 point lead and barring a total Las Vegas meltdown, the Aces would take a dominant advantage into New York. The Liberty made a bit of noise in the fourth quarter but had so much ground to make up it was fruitless.

Wilson finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Jackie Young had 24 points and Kelsey Plum had 23 in an amazing showing both offensively and defensively. The Liberty will be a different team in front of their home crowd but will be behind the eight ball going into game three.

The Aces take a dominant lead into New York with a chance to closeout this series and win a back-to-back championship. Game three will be played on Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn with tipoff scheduled for 12:00 PM PT.

Jackie Young and the Aces Win Game One Over the Liberty 99-82

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The Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) is feeling pretty positive in first half action of game 1 of the WNBA Championship at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Oct 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Aces Jackie Young led the charge with 26 points giving Las Vegas a game one win 99-82 in the opening game of this championship series at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Sunday afternoon the Las Vegas Aces (1-0) embarked on the first leg of their quest for a second championship. They took on the New York Liberty (0-1) in what promises to be a fight to the end.

As expected both teams came out strong in the first quarter with the Liberty narrowly taking the early lead 25-22. The second quarter was all knotted at 24-24. New York took a 49-46 lead into the locker room at the half.

All season, the Aces have notoriously been a second half team especially in the fourth quarter when they have time after time put games away. They would need a strong second half if they wanted to get past New York.

One reason that the Liberty had this lead was due to the deep shooting from bench player Marine Johannes who was 4 of 7 from beyond the arc and finished with 14 points.

The Aces turned it on the third quarter winning it 26-16 and taking a 72-65 lead proving their mastery in the second half of games. They did not back down as this game went into the fourth quarter playing with more intention and skill.

Going on a 9-0 run the Aces took the first double digit lead of the game 78-65 with 7:21 left in the game. Las Vegas’ Jackie Young was on fire already shooting for 26 points with nearly seven minutes left in the game.

The Aces had begun to take control of this first game of the finals. Las Vegas had a strangle hold on the Liberty forcing turnovers and desperate shot selection. The Aces continued to extend their lead in the final minutes of the game taking a 92-72 lead.

The Liberty were faced with having to speed up the game if they were to have any chance of winning leaving the door open for error. In all fairness, the Liberty continued to fight making some clutch three’s but as they began to put the starters on the bench they were clearly resigned to the eventual outcome. The Las Vegas ladies were brilliant in this second half winning game one by the score of 99-82.

The heartbeat of Las Vegas Chelsea Gray was seen throughout the game cheering, pushing and encouraging her team. She had 20 points along with Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young’s 26 points apiece.

Plum was totally exploited in the past few season games against the Liberty and she evidently had had enough and it really showed in this game. In the second half, the Aces defense on the outside really showed up limiting New York to a single shot from downtown.

A’Ja Wilson finished with 8 rebounds and 19 points. It took the opening half for the Aces to really get on track and once the second half hit, Las Vegas turned into a run-away train impossible to stop. They shot at 54% from the field and 40% from outside.

The Liberty had four starters in double digits with Breanna Steward the high score with 21 points and nine rebounds. New York may have lost the first game of this series but the battle has just begun and there is a long way yet to go.

Aces post game notes: These teams know each other so well and both teams have had success against each other during the regular season. Back in late June the Aces had a dominate win over the Liberty 98-81.

The Liberty crushed Las Vegas on August 6, 99-61 followed by a second win on August 15 by the score of 82-63. Two days later the Aces came back beating the Liberty 88-75. In this see-saw relationship the Liberty had yet another win over the Aces 94-85 in late August, the final time they would meet prior to the playoffs.

This finals has all the makings of some hard-fought battles from the two best teams in the WNBA.

Game Two will be played on Wednesday October 11th with tipoff scheduled for 6:00 PM. This second game of the series will again be played at Michelob ULTRA Arena with the Aces looking to take a 2-0 lead into New York.

Aces Head Into WNBA Finals With Win Over the Wings 64-61

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Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally, left, and Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young scramble for the ball during the first half at College Park Center in Arlington on Fri Sep 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Las Vegas Aces (34-6) took on the Dallas Wings (22-18) looking to finish up this semi-final series and head into yet another WNBA Finals. The Aces have had a relatively easy path so far in these playoffs.

The Wings came out with a game plan which forced the Aces into turnovers and took A’Ja Wilson completely out of the game. Dallas forced the Aces into some very uncharacteristic play. Dallas’ rebounds through three quarters were (36) to the Aces 28.

It was all a part of the plan. Forcing the turnovers was also working for the Wings. Las Vegas had lost the ball 17 times with 6:31 left in the game. The Aces got back on track in the final minutes to take this one home in a real nail-biter 64-61.

Dallas led after the first quarter by a slim margin of 18-16. At the half, the Wings led by 36-31. The Wings were starting to put the hurt on Las Vegas. They had contained A’Ja Wilson. At the half she was shooting single digits as was the rest of the team. It was the slowest of starts for Las Vegas running into a determined Dallas team.

The Aces won the third quarter 18-15 and this game was going down to the wire. The Wings held onto a 51-49 lead after three quarters in this low scoring game.

A’Ja Wilson finally reached the double digit mark in the fourth quarter as did teammates Chelsea Gray, and Kelsey Plum. Wilson continued to struggle having committed eight turnovers herself and only managing 13 points with 2:28 left in the game.

The score was tied 61-61 as the clock approached two minutes. This game was going down to the wire. With 31.8 left on the clock the Aces had a one-point lead 62-61. They had a great opportunity to extend their lead but Chelsea Gray threw the ball out of bounds.

The last possession would win this game. A jump ball ended up in the hands of the Wings with 9.0 left on the clock. Dallas missed the final shot and in the process fouled Jackie Young who made both free throws. With 2.7 seconds left on the clock Las Vegas led 64-61. The Aces had mounted an 11-0 run to take the game and the series. Las Vegas had earned a trip to the finals 64-61.

This game was a dogfight. The Aces struggled from start to finish but pulled it all together at 4:59 in the fourth quarter. Dallas did not score a single point in the final (4:59) minutes. The Wings had forced 20 Las Vegas turnovers.

Dallas had a great game plan and executed it on point until the final minutes of the game. The 64 points scored in this game were the fewest in Aces franchise history. You have to give a lot of credit to the Dallas Wings. They played hard and very nearly pulled off the upset in game three.

The Aces had four players in double digits. A’Ja Wilson had a double double with 13 rebounds and 13 points but it was Chelsea Gray who had the high with 15 points. Both Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young each had 11 points.

This was not even close to what we are accustomed to seeing from this Las Vegas team and as A’Ja Wilson said that is just the way things go sometimes. This certainly is something that they want to get out their system before they head into the finals on Sunday October 8th. The winner between the Liberty and the Sun may be determined this coming Sunday with New York leading the series 2-1.

Las Vegas Handles Phoenix 94-73

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Las Vegas Aces Kelsey Plum (10) and guard Sydney Colson (51) exchanges hand shakes as they battle the Phoenix Mercury at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Fri Sep 8, 2023 (@LVAces photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Vegas Las Aces (33-6) took on the Phoenix Mercury (9-30) and after a slow start crushed the Mercury 94-73. The Aces had led by as much as 30 points in the fourth quarter.

The Aces got a slow start which has plagued them throughout the season. After one quarter the game was tied 20-20. Las Vegas got things rolling in the second quarter squelching the Mercury 28-11, led at the half 48-31 and after playing a very close first quarter the Aces had this game well in hand.

The Mercury played a better third quarter but could not break the stranglehold Las Vegas had on this game and after three the Aces led 72-48. The Mercury won the fourth quarter 25-22. Phoenix did try to rally in the final quarter after trailing by thirty points but just did not have the fire power of Las Vegas only making a small dent in the Las Vegas lead.

A’Ja Wilson finished the game with another electric performance scoring 30 points with nine rebounds. Kelsey Plum had 18 points with Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray both scoring double digits. Both teams protected the ball well finishing with only ten turnovers apiece. The Aces shot at 54.3% from the field and the Mercury came in with 34.7% which was the difference in this game.

Aces post game notes: The WNBA 2023 season is rapidly winding down with two games left in the regular season. The Aces have dominated all season and now look forward to the playoffs. There was however, one team that took Las Vegas to task beating them in three out of four games in the month of August and that was the New York Liberty. The Liberty are nipping at the Aces heels with a 32-7 record, both teams vying for home court advantage.

The Aces will play their last game of the regular season on Sunday taking on the Mercury in front of their home crowd at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tipoff in that final game is scheduled for 12:00 PM.