A’ja Wilson put up 24 points and 16 rebounds and led a second-half comeback as the Las Vegas Aces defeated the host New York Liberty 70-69 on Wednesday night to win their second consecutive WNBA title.
The Aces took Game 4 to win the best-of-five series 3-1, becoming the first team to win back-to-back WNBA championships since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02.
Though the Liberty led by as many as 12, Las Vegas charged into the lead by the end of the third quarter. The Aces scored six straight points for a 70-64 edge and survived the Liberty’s final push, with Courtney Vandersloot missing a game-winning jumper attempt at the buzzer.
The Aces prevailed without two starters, Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes, who sustained foot injuries in Game 3. Alysha Clark, the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, entered the starting lineup and had 10 points and eight rebounds.
“We’ve been facing adversity all season, playing without different players, and the resilience of this team, the character of the people on this team, I mean, it’s bar none,” Clark said postgame on ESPN.
Wilson recorded her sixth double-double of the postseason and was selected the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
“We kept the main thing the main thing and we came out on top,” Wilson said on ESPN. “I can’t express how proud I am of my teammates. They picked me up when I was down. We cried together, prayed together and now we popping champagne together.”
Las Vegas’ Jackie Young posted 16 points and seven assists, and Cayla George, in for Stokes, made three triples en route to 11 points.
After New York’s Jonquel Jones tied the game 64-64 off an offensive rebound with 2:44 to play, the Aces pushed ahead. Wilson pivoted off her defender and sank a mid-range shot to make it 70-64 with 1:27 left.
Vandersloot hit her fourth 3-pointer of the night and Sabrina Ionescu made a jumper from the foul line to cut the deficit to one, but their play with eight seconds left ended with an airball.
Vandersloot powered the Liberty with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Breanna Stewart had 10 points, 14 rebounds and five assists but shot 3-for-17. Betnijah Laney scored 15 points and Ionescu added 13.
The Liberty capitalized on eight Aces turnovers in the first quarter to take a 23-13 lead. The Aces drew within 31-30 with 2:33 left in the first half thanks to Kelsey Plum’s layup.
Laney caught a pass under the bucket and kicked it to Kayla Thornton in the corner for a 3-pointer. That started an 8-0 run to close the half, and New York took a 39-30 edge into the locker room. Vandersloot had 12 first-half points and Laney had 11 to lead the way.
George made two 3-pointers 1:01 apart in the third quarter to get her team going.
Clark scored the final six points of a 9-0 Aces run to close the quarter. Her layup tied it 51-51, and with 19 seconds left she earned and made two free throws that gave Las Vegas its first lead since 9-8.
Young’s five points helped make it 60-53 Las Vegas early in the fourth before the Liberty rattled off seven points to tie it and set up the tight finish.
Becky Hammon has been the Aces’ coach for two years and has two championships to show for it.
“I know who I have in my locker room,” Hammon said on ESPN. “There’s not a person out here I don’t believe in. I know what they’re made of, and at the end of the day I told them, win or lose, I’m rolling with them. I’m rolling with them all day.”
–Field Level Media
