The WNBA semifinal series between the No. 1-seed New York Liberty and No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces shifts tonight. The Liberty have played on their home court for every playoff game so far this postseason, and as they head to Las Vegas for Game 3 against the Aces, the stakes are higher than ever. The game tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
After meeting in the WNBA Finals last season, these two teams have encountered each other earlier than expected. It's a very different dynamic this time around, though. The Liberty won all three regular season games over the Aces, and then came into this series and won the first two games. They will now have three chances to end this series and secure another trip to the Finals.
The more interesting part of Game 3 is that the Aces are facing elimination. While they've certainly had a tougher season in 2024, a sweep at the hands of their rival would be a big surprise. Yet, they've struggled against the Liberty all season.
Here are some things to think about going into Game 3:
One thing Vegas needs to think about going into Game 3 is trying to slow down Sabrina Ionescu. The Liberty's No. 1 draft pick from 2020 has been absolutely lethal during the playoffs. She has scored 21 and 24 points in the first two games of the semifinals, and her defense has been excellent.
It seems like the Aces can't keep track of Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones at the same time. One of them is always cooking, and when two are -- danger!
Ionescu is highly motivated and will bring that energy right into Vegas. The crowd won't be with her though, so she will have to dig deep to produce those results.
Of course. A'ja Wilson was the unanimous MVP. But she can't win a championship alone. The Liberty have done decently well at defending her, not letting her get to her normal 25-plus points per game. Still, her impact on both sides of the ball can't be denied.
Kelsey Plum contributed in Game 1, but Chelsea Gray has not looked herself in this series, and Jackie Young is apparently fighting an undisclosed injury. With Kiah Stokes probably our for the rest of this series after suffering a concussion in Game 2, the Aces will have to go deeper into their bench.
Surprisingly, despite the struggles in the frontcourt, Becky Hammon hasn't gone to Megan Gustafson yet. She likely will see some minutes with Stokes out in Game 3. Regardless, A'ja's teammates need to step up if this team is going to survive to a Game 4.
Spooky season is upon us? The Liberty sure have looked spooky this playoff series. After the devastating loss in the Finals last year, New York has been waiting for this moment. If this series win comes as a sweep, their confidence would be at an all-time high heading into the Finals.
They have three chances to clinch the series, and it would be surprising to see this Aces team beat this Liberty team three games in a row. Still, the playoffs are where anything can happen.