Las Vegas Aces Fall to New York Liberty at Home
The New York Liberty have toppled the reigning two-time WNBA Champions, the Las Vegas Aces, clinching their place in the 2024 WNBA Finals. This win came after four intense games, marked by highs and lows for both teams. Despite the tough challenge from the Aces, the Liberty emerged victorious. A new team will now have the chance to seize the WNBA Championship.
The New York Liberty's lineup size posed a significant threat to the Las Vegas Aces during their playoff series. Still, the Aces occasionally found ways to counter it. Using a smaller lineup, the Aces drew fouls from the Liberty players. Today’s game saw the most fouls drawn by the Liberty against the Aces since facing the Atlanta Dream in the tournament's first round. Shooting issues persisted despite the Aces being able to turn the tide in their favor. The top three leading scorers for the Las Vegas Aces were A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Tiffany Hayes. No member of the team scored more than 20 points but Wilson came close with a 19-point and 10 rebound double-double. Next, was Plum with 17 points and Hayes with 11. They narrowly outscored Liberty in the second and third quarters by a point each but were outscored by four points in the first and 12 in the fourth. After a near buzzer-beater from Jackie Young before the fourth quarter, the Aces' momentum slowed, which seemed to seal their season’s fate. Las Vegas Aces supporters can anticipate some fresh faces next season, as head coach Becky Hammon mentioned post-game: “It’s not going to be the same group probably next year, it just won’t.”
The New York Liberty have never won a WNBA Championship, but with their second consecutive WNBA Finals appearance, this could be their year. Last game, the Las Vegas Aces managed to shut down Ionescu, holding her to just four points, all scored in the final 10 minutes. Today, her comeback set the stage for a 76-62 Liberty victory in enemy territory. Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart led the charge against the Las Vegas Aces today with a combined total of 41 points, with Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich adding another 25. Their offensive efforts led the Liberty to avenge their loss against the Aces in the 2023 WNBA Finals. The New York Liberty will now take on either the Connecticut Sun or the Minnesota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals, with their opponent to be determined after Game Five of the Sun vs. Lynx series on October 8th. Regardless of the outcome, the winning team will need to brace themselves for perhaps the most dangerous version of the New York Liberty in WNBA history.
