Las Vegas Aces Polish Of Connecticut Sun In Finals Game 2 Tuesday, Just One Game Away From WNBA Championship
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Story by Cassandra Cousineau and Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
The Las Vegas Aces, a vagabond franchise before arriving in Vegas in 2018, are a single win from delivering the first professional team title to the Las Vegas market after a solid win over the Connecticut Sun at Michelob Ultra Arena Tuesday evening.
“We’re trying to win a championship here,” Aces owner Mark Davis said before the WNBA Finals Game 2 win.
The Aces’ A’ja Wilson played her strong all-around game with 26 points, Chelsea Gray kept her hot shooting going with 21 points, Kelsey Plum dropped 20 points thanks to daring drives to the basket and Dearica Hamby came off the bench with some tough defense and rebounding. Gray dished out eight assists, while Plum had seven.
It all added up to a convincing triumph over the Connecticut Sun before 10,211 delirious fans at Michelob Ultra Arena on the Strip and a 2-0 lead in games in the Best-of-5 WNBA Finals.
Sun head coach Curt Miller spoke for anyone who saw the game, “Chelsea Gray makes incredibly difficult contested shots.”
The Aces can clinch the WNBA title Thursday in Game 3 on the Connecticut floor at Mohegan Sun. If the Sun win Game 3, a Game 4 is set for Sunday at Mohegan Sun. If Connecticut rallies to win Games 3 and 4, a decisive Game 5 will be back in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday.
But Aces team president Nikki Fargas wants her club to close the deal on the road. She does not want a Game 5.
“We still haven’t played our best basketball,” Fargas told LVSportsBiz.com after the Aces win.
Before the game, Aces/Raiders owner Davis said the arena was sold out for Finals Game 2 and liked the way Las Vegas has rallied around the Aces. “They earned it,” Davis said of the Aces.
Indeed, the Aces said there were 10,211 tickets distributed — another Michelob Ultra Arena attendance record.
After the win, Aces coach Becky Hammon cautioned those who believe the Best-of-5 series is over.
“We haven’t won anything yet. We just took care of home court,” Hammon said.
I don’t see any banners. I don’t see any balloons. I sure as hell don’t see any confetti cuz we ain’t won anything yet. — Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon
Indeed, keep in mind the Connecticut Sun are 3-0 in elimination games in the playoffs.
Game 2 broke out to a ferocious pace, as both teams were tied at 14 in the first quarter.
Then, the Aces finished strong in the opening stanza, scoring seven straight for a 21-14 lead before taking a 23-15 lead into the second period.
The Aces extended the lead to 27-15 and led 29-21 with seven minutes left in the first half.
Las Vegas maintained their advantage through the second quarter, upping the lead to 43-34 into the final minute of the first half.
Dearica Hamby returned to coming off the bench and her defense was outstanding.
At the half, the Aces led, 45-37, on a Wilson bucket.
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At halftime, Lil Jon performed. Lil Jon was also a regular at the Vegas Golden Knights games. NBA players Kyle Lowry and Ja Morant also joined the big, loud crowd.
And Hammon’s old boss, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, was at the game, too. He also popped into the Aces locker room to congratulate the team on the Game 2 win and noted the sweetest victories are the championships won on the road.
The Sun made several runs, cutting the lead to only three points at one point.
But Plum came to play. She made several ferocious and daring drives to the basket and the Dawg finished the plays by scoring against the taller Sun squad.
On one play, Plum drove to the basket and gave a gorgeous assist to Hamby, who polished off the layup.
With less than two minutes to go in the third quarter, the Aces led by 10, 60-50.
The Aces’ Riquna Williams nailed a 3-ball and Wilson dropped in two free throws and Las Vegas led, 68-54, after three quarters.
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The Aces pulled away in the final quarter and led, 82-62, near the end of the fourth.
Hammon pulled her starters and Las Vegas walked off the court with an 85-71 win.
“I’m very happy where we are, but we’re not done yet,” Wilson said after the game.
“We’re making the right play and that’s the difference,” Gray said during the postgame presser.
After the game, Davis, Fargas and game entertainment staffers strolled near the center of the court.
Fargas met LVSportsBiz.com and simply uttered, “Forty more minutes. Forty minutes.”
Indeed, the Aces stand 40 minutes away from a WNBA championship and Las Vegas glory.
