As a preview of a potential WNBA championship matchup, the stakes could not have been higher going into Monday’s game between the second-seeded New York Liberty and the top-seeded Las Vegas Aces.
In the 94-85 victory, the playoff implications of this game were not lost on the Liberty. Monday’s win clinched the season series 3-2, ensuring home court advantage for the Liberty if they tie their regular season record with the Aces. The Liberty won 9 of their last 10 games, and the Aces have lost 4 out of their last 7, making the number one overall seed more attainable than ever for the Liberty.
The Aces started the game hot on a 15-7 run, but the Liberty quickly rallied back. With 21 seconds left in the first quarter, WNBA 3-Point Champion Sabrina Ionescu sank a 3-point shot to put the Liberty up 22-19. The Liberty did not trail for the rest of the game and led by as many as 19 points.
While Ionescu led the game in points (25) and made 50% of her 3-point attempts, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart showed the league why she remains the front-runner for the Most Valuable Player award, according to major sportsbooks. Nearly logging a triple-double, Stewart poured in 20 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists.
However, Stewart’s impact went well beyond the stat sheet. Even on a night where she did not hit a 3-point shot herself, she pushed the pace and commanded double teams that opened up the floor, assets that have allowed the Liberty to make a league-best 11.1 3-pointers per game at 37.7% throughout the season.
On the other end of the floor, 2022 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson recorded 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks for the Aces. Wilson, who currently holds the second-best odds of winning the MVP award, showed off her versatility on offense. She punished the Liberty’s drop coverage with her shooting, making 70% of her mid-range attempts.
Jackie Young, the starting point guard for the Aces, logged 24 points and made four out of her six 3-point attempts. The rest of the Aces struggled to find their rhythm, with all-star guard Kelsey Plum falling into foul trouble early, limiting her efficacy. Plum fouled out in the closing minutes of the game.
Physicality and grit defined this game, with both teams competing hard for rebounds, loose ball opportunities and defensive stops. In the third quarter, emotions boiled over a foul call. On another play, Jonquel Jones was issued a flagrant foul after a scuffle with the Aces’ Cayla George.
While the Liberty took control of this game, the Aces displayed in flashes why they can never be counted out.
Aces coach Becky Hammon kept her starters in the game, and late-game heroics by Jackie Young cut the Liberty’s lead to 8 points in the game's final two minutes.
While it would be no surprise to see either of these teams take home the title this autumn, the Liberty showed their fans and rivals why they are a force to be reckoned with.
