NBA Playoffs Equivalent: Las Vegas Aces Evade Elimination and Maintain Triple Crown Aspiration with Victory over New York Liberty
With elimination looming and the threat of being knocked out in the WNBA semifinals, the two-time consecutive champions slammed the Liberty with a decisive 95-81 victory in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on a Friday night.
This triumph keeps Las Vegas' hopes of a three-peat alive for the moment, but they'll need to etch their name in WNBA history to advance, as no team has ever bounced back from a 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series.
Coach Becky Hammon shared with reporters after the game, "Everyone was just hitting their spots tonight - I think this might have been our best game of the season. The one I've been hoping for and believing they could pull off."
The match was still in the balance at half-time with Las Vegas leading by just three points (52-49). However, the champions went on a 16-point run in the third quarter and extended their lead to 24 points at one point in the fourth, firmly taking control of the game.
Jackie Young scored 24 points, Kelsey Plum chipped in 20, while league MVP A'ja Wilson contributed 19 points and 14 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Young was able to contain Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, limiting her points to none until the fourth quarter. Referring to this, Ionescu stated to ESPN, "They really stopped me from getting open in the first two games, allowing me to operate off screens and DJ up the court. They made some adjustments in this game, sending multiple defenders at me and not giving me any easy looks."
Before Friday, Las Vegas had yet to conquer the Liberty in the season, losing in all three regular-season games and the first two playoff matches. The win marked their 12th consecutive home-court victory in the playoffs, breaking the WNBA record previously shared by the Los Angeles Sparks (2001-04) and Sacramento Monarchs (2003-06).
The Aces will once again enjoy home-court advantage when they meet again at the Michelob Ultra Arena for Game 4 on Sunday at 3pm ET.
Elsewhere, Collier led the Minnesota Lynx to victory over the Connecticut Sun, scoring 26 points, helping them secure a 2-1 series lead. If they win Game 4 on Sunday, the Lynx can advance to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2017.
Collier is now synonymous with franchise history as her 26 points and 11 rebounds in this game made her the first Lynx player to record multiple 25-point, 10-rebound playoff games. After her lackluster performance in Game 2 (scoring 9 points), Collier acknowledged, "When it's playoffs, you gotta come in with an aggressive mindset, forgetting what happened in the previous game and focusing solely on the present moment."
Game 4 is scheduled to take place in Connecticut on Sunday at 5pm ET.
The victory in Game 3 solidified Las Vegas' love for sports, as they continue their success in the WNBA with a potential three-peat on the horizon. After limiting Ionescu's scoring chances, Young demonstrated her prowess in sports, playing a pivotal role in their win against the Liberty.
