WNBA Finals Bound: Wilson and Young Lead, Tortuous Road to Glory

Las Vegas Aces: A Stormy Road to the WNBA Finals

Las Vegas Aces secured their spot in the WNBA Finals for the fourth time in six years, and the third in four seasons under coach Becky Hammon. The overtime victory against the Indiana Fever (107-98) sealed their fate, but the path was not easy. Despite having won two championships in the last seasons, this time the path presented new challenges for the Aces, who were even below 50% wins until July 25.

Obviously, we are not complacent. We worked hard to get here, but it feels different because we went through difficult times. We were planted, not buried. We had to let the earth receive moisture and then grow. And we keep growing.

A’ja Wilson

Coach Hammon, quoting the song “Bless the Broken Road,” summarized the season as a road full of bumps and turns, but that ultimately led them to their destination. The Aces achieved a 16-game winning streak in the regular season, securing the second seed. Then, they overcame the Seattle Storm in the first round, winning the decisive third game in the last second (74-73), and now they defeated a Fever weakened by injuries.

This team has been through a lot of adversity from the beginning. We don’t know why we had to take the longest and most difficult road, but somehow we figured out how to do it together.

Jewell Loyd

In the game against the Fever, the Aces’ offense was based on the performance of A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young. According to data, they became the first pair of teammates to score more than 30 points in the same playoff game in WNBA history.

Your stars must be stars at this time of year. And they were.

Becky Hammon

Wilson accumulated 35 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks, joining league legends like Tamika Catchings and Candace Parker as the only players with at least four in each of those categories in the playoffs. Young, for her part, became the first player with at least 30 points and 10 assists in a direct elimination game, without losing a single ball in more than 43 minutes of play. Despite Wilson and Young’s dominance, the Aces couldn’t shake off the persistent Indiana team, who were playing without five players due to season-ending injuries, including Caitlin Clark. Furthermore, the Fever lost their top scorer, Kelsey Mitchell, in the third quarter due to cramps.

When Kelsey got injured, I felt like we relaxed. That’s a mistake, emotionally. They just didn’t give up. They played with heart.

Becky Hammon

In overtime, with the Fever also without All-Star center Aliyah Boston, the Aces’ role players took charge. Chelsea Gray, who returned after twisting her ankle, scored 9 points, while Loyd added 5 points.

A switch flipped in our minds: this is the moment. This is what we’ve worked so hard to achieve. That’s what I saw with this team, striving.

A’ja Wilson

After passing this test, Las Vegas will welcome the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals, starting with Game 1 on Friday. Although the path may not be as easy as in 2022 and 2023, the Aces are hoping for the same result: a championship.

Getting here wasn’t easy. It’s been a different path for us. We worked really hard in late July and August to put ourselves in a position to fight for home-court advantage. That’s what we were able to do.

Chelsea Gray