By Cassandra Cousineau, LVSportsBiz.com Aces-WNBA Writer
The number is still one for the Las Vegas Aces to repeat as WNBA champs.
The Aces will need to play at least one more game in the WNBA Finals after losing Game 3 ,87-73, to the New York Liberty at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn Sunday.
After getting blown out in the second half in Games 1 and 2 in Las Vegas, New York shot the lights out, blitzing Las Vegas with sizzling shooting of 53 percent from the field and 44 percent from the arc. All of the Liberty starters scored in double figures for the game.
“We expect nothing less than a dog fight. Their backs are against the wall. We gotta be on the gas pedal,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said before the game.
The Liberty succeeded in putting the brakes on a late first half flurry from the Aces by outscoring the team, 18-10, in the game’s pivotal third-quarter.
The Aces were led by Kelsey Plum’s 29 points, and A’ja Wilson’s double-double of 16 points, and 11 rebounds. Plum played the entire 40 minutes of the game.
The Game 3 loss was overshadowed by a late-game injury to All Star guard Chelsea Gray.
Gray was shown during the national TV broadcast limping and collapsing on her way to the locker room. She later appeared after the game on crutches. Hammon did not have an update other than to say it was a foot injury.
If Gray is out of the lineup, “No one person is going to replace her. Everyone is just going to need to give a little bit more,” Hammon said.
The Aces were undefeated in the playoffs with to wins against Detroit, three wins against Dallas in the semis and the first two games against New York last week after setting a WNBA record in the regular season with 34 wins.
The season has been filled with ups and downs from losing WNBA star Candace Parker to surgery, former guard Riquiana Williams to injury and then legal troubles, and now possibly needing to play without their starting point guard, Gray.
“We bounced back from adversity all year long. You have two choices right now, either you stay down, or you get up,” Hammon said.
The Liberty announced 17,143 fans in attendance for Game 3. It was the franchise’s first WNBA Finals win since 1999. Today’s victory forces a Game 4 on Wednesday at 5 PM on ESPN, with the Aces leading the best-of-five series, 2-1.