WNBA playoffs: Aces avoid sweep vs. Liberty with Game 3 blowout

The Las Vegas Aces aren’t happening that simply.

After changing into the primary defending WNBA champion to fall behind 2-0 in a collection, the host Aces responded with a 95-81 Recreation 3 win over the New York Liberty. Recreation 4 is scheduled for Sunday in Vegas at 3 p.m. ET.

All it took was a 17-2 run to finish the third quarter and energize a sold-out Michelob Extremely Area crowd. After a detailed first half, by which neither crew constructed a lead of greater than 4 factors, the Aces clamped down on protection for 10 minutes. By the top of the body, the Liberty had totaled six factors and dedicated 5 turnovers.

It was the lowest-scoring quarter for an opponent in Aces playoff historical past. New York had its starters out of the sport halfway by way of the fourth quarter, however the Aces’ stars stayed in for a bit longer. They exited up 90-68, with the message despatched.

Jackie Younger and Kelsey Plum led the way in which on offense for the Aces, with a mixed 44 factors, six assists and solely two turnovers, whereas A’ja Wilson stored wanting just like the MVP with 19 factors and 14 rebounds.

After getting gashed in Video games 1 and a pair of, Vegas went out of its strategy to cease Sabrina Ionescu from doing what she wished. Younger and Plum had been the first defenders, however they got all the assistance they wanted.

Ionescu completed the sport with 4 factors on 1-of-7 taking pictures with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 turnovers.

It was the sort of efficiency that makes you keep in mind how the Aces steamrolled the WNBA, and the Liberty, for the previous two seasons. It was a protection that appears like the most effective within the WNBA and a well-balanced offensive assault — each led by the WNBA’s greatest participant in Wilson — and a raucous crowd.

That present of power reframes the remainder of this collection. The Liberty regarded like the higher crew in Recreation 1, however Recreation 2 received fairly uncomfortable towards the top. The Aces smelled blood and got here up simply quick, then acted on it once more within the second half Friday.

They nonetheless want two extra wins in opposition to a New York crew that hasn’t misplaced three straight video games all season, however the model of the Aces we noticed in Recreation 3 undoubtedly seems able to it.