The Las Vegas Aces are back in the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years — and it’s once again thanks to the seemingly-unstoppable trio of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray.
On Tuesday night, the Aces overcame the Indiana Fever in overtime, 107-98, and in doing so, they completed an in-season turnaround that saw them begin the season 14-14, only to win 17 straight games and secure the No. 2 seed.
How did they win the win-or-go-home Game 5?
As per usual, it starts with A’ja Wilson, who erupted for 35 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks. Wilson, fresh off her fourth MVP award, has been the league’s leading scorer these playoffs, averaging 26 points, 3 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 2.3 steals — all the highest numbers of her playoff career.
Then, there’s Jackie Young, who is also having a career-best playoff run. Young exploded for 32 points and 10 assists on Tuesday, hitting big basket after big basket down the stretch.
These playoffs, Young is averaging 20.5 points and 5.3 assists, both the highest marks of her postseason career (she averaged 13.8 points and 3 assists last playoffs). She’s shooting 54.1% from the field, up from 37.5% from her last run. In her Age 28 season, Young has done everything and more to help position Las Vegas for home-court advantage in the Finals.
The duo of Wilson and Young — multiple-time All-Stars in their prime — has come up clutch for the Aces in both of their playoff elimination games, generating offense on critical possessions. On Tuesday, they became the first pair of teammates in WNBA history to each tally at least 30 points in the same game.
There’s also Chelsea Gray, who was quiet offensively for much of the night but nearly outscored Indiana in overtime herself with 8 points in the final period. Gray, the 2022 Finals MVP, tallied 17 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks on Tuesday.
Others have mattered on this playoff run as well — NaLyssa Smith was critical in Games 2 and 3, exploding for 18 points and 7 boards in Game 2 and 16 points and 4 blocks in Game 3. Jewell Loyd came up huge with late offensive rebounds and a clutch three-pointer in Game 5. And, Dana Evans has hit several big shots in this series, though none were bigger than her overtime jumper on Tuesday.
Still, it all starts and ends with Wilson and Young. The duo has already won two WNBA championships and an Olympic gold medal together.
Now, with both players shouldering a bigger load than ever before, they’re headed back to the WNBA Finals.
“We have a special group here,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “I’m not surprised that we’re here — because I know who they are. I know how they’re built.”