The Las Vegas Aces cemented their dynasty on Friday night, winning their third WNBA championship in four seasons with a 97–86 victory over the Phoenix Mercury to complete a four-game sweep of the Finals. A’ja Wilson led the way with 31 points despite an off shooting night, going 7-for-21 from the field but converting 17 of 19 free throws. Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young added 18 apiece as Las Vegas once again overpowered Phoenix with relentless pace and balance.
The Las Vegas Aces cemented their dynasty on Friday night, winning their third WNBA championship in four seasons with a 97–86 victory over the Phoenix Mercury to complete a four-game sweep of the Finals.
A’ja Wilson led the way with 31 points despite an off shooting night, going 7-for-21 from the field but converting 17 of 19 free throws. Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young added 18 apiece as Las Vegas once again overpowered Phoenix with relentless pace and balance. The Aces averaged more than 90 points per game in the series and poured in 54 by halftime of the clincher.
Schedule
Best-of-seven series.
Fri 3 Oct Game 1: Las Vegas 89, Phoenix 86
Sun 5 Oct Game 2: Las Vegas 91, Phoenix 78
Wed 8 Oct Game 3: Las Vegas 90, Phoenix 88
Fri 10 Oct Game 4: Las Vegas 97, Phoenix 86
Las Vegas never trailed, hitting 55% of its shots in a 30–21 opening quarter. Jewell Loyd, Gray and Dana Evans drained three consecutive 3-pointers early in the second to push the lead to 19, and the Aces went into the break ahead 54–38. Wilson had 14 by halftime and continued to dominate the interior despite drawing constant double teams.
Phoenix mounted a brief charge in the fourth, cutting a 14-point deficit to six with 7:56 remaining, but Gray responded with a pair of deep threes to restore control. Kahleah Copper kept the Mercury competitive with 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting, while Alyssa Thomas posted a triple-double – 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists – even after injuring her shoulder in the first half.
The Mercury’s frustrations boiled over midway through the third quarter when head coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected after arguing a foul call against Monique Akoa Makani. DeWanna Bonner and Copper later picked up technicals as the Aces’ composure proved decisive.
Phoenix was already shorthanded without forward Satou Sabally, who sustained a concussion in Game 3. Thomas’s injury further hampered a roster that had defied expectations by upsetting the defending champion New York Liberty and top-seeded Minnesota Lynx earlier in the postseason.
The loss marked Phoenix’s second finals defeat in five years and extended its title drought to 11 seasons since its last championship in 2014. For Las Vegas, the night underscored a dynasty in full bloom – one led by Wilson, now a four-time MVP and the heartbeat of a team that has redefined modern dominance in the WNBA.
Category: General Sports
