In a rematch of final yr’s WNBA Finals, the New York Liberty host the Las Vegas Aces for Sport 1 of the Semi-Finals, on Sunday at 3pm ET. The Liberty have been the No. 1 seed for many of the yr, ending the season with a league-best 32-8 report, whereas the Aces overcame a sluggish begin to final safe the No. 4 seed, posting a 27-13 report on the yr. Each groups swept their best-of-three first spherical sequence, with the Liberty beating the Dream in back-to-back video games, and the Aces defeating the Storm.
The Liberty took all three common season video games this season, however the Aces received the Finals at their palms in September, so there’s no clear favourite going into this one. On one hand, New York has been probably the most dominant workforce this season and is kicking issues off with two video games at Barclay’s Middle, however on the opposite, it’s onerous to depend out the back-to-back champions. The Aces are going for the primary three peat for the reason that league’s inception.
Let’s check out 5 issues to observe for forward of Sport 1.
Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson — how will the MVPs fare?
For years now, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson have dominated the WNBA. Stewart (two MVPs, two championships) and Wilson (three MVPs, two championships) are mates off the court docket, however have a protracted historical past of enjoyable postseason clashes. Final yr, Wilson acquired the higher hand, main her Aces workforce to a 3-1 Finals victory, whereas Stewart averaged 16.3 factors per sport within the Finals, virtually 7 factors lower than her common season common.
Stewie has had an important second half to the season, and appears to be again in MVP kind, however whether or not she will sustain with Wilson’s manufacturing will assist decide the end result of this sequence. A’ja Wilson has had a historic WNBA season, averaging 26.9 factors, 11.9 rebounds, and a pair of.6 blocks per sport, and was unanimously named MVP final week. Each gamers are going to place up quantity, however who comes out on high on this match-up of all-time greats may very well be the distinction
Sabrina Ionescu: can she sustain this postseason manufacturing?
Sabrina Ionescu has been crucial to this Liberty workforce’s success. Till a late-season capturing droop, she was (considerably) within the MVP dialog, and Aces head coach Becky Hammon really blasted media for not together with her of their First Workforce All-WNBA ballots.
Ionescu shot 18% within the last three video games of the common season to cap off a post-Olympic break that noticed her capturing simply 33% from the sector. However, she quelled any considerations about her capturing with a large Sport 2 efficiency by which she exploded for 36 factors on 12-23 capturing, tied for a franchise report for many factors in a playoff sport.
She’ll need to face higher defenders on this one — Jackie Younger is without doubt one of the hardest guard defenders within the league and can seemingly have the Ionescu match-up at occasions, and the Aces have made Ionescu’s life tough earlier than. However, her sport has advanced for the reason that two groups confronted off final fall, and if she will proceed her postseason explosion, the Liberty turn into way more tough to include.
Las Vegas Aces guard play: which Jackie Younger, Chelsea Grey, and Kelsey Plum will we see?
Becky Hammon has famous again and again how crucial the Aces’ guard play is for the groups success. In spite of everything, this can be a backcourt that features three U.S. Olympians — together with a Finals MVP (Chelsea Grey) and two kind former No. 1 picks (Jackie Younger, Kelsey Plum).
Grey missed the primary 12 video games of the common season after recovering from a foot damage she suffered in final yr’s playoffs, and it took her some time to get again into kind. However, her teammates have burdened she’s again in full kind, which implies she’s some of the necessary gamers within the league.
Within the first two video games of the 2024 postseason, she appeared to be again within the swing of issues. Grey averaged 14 factors and eight assists throughout two wins in opposition to the Storm, prompting Kelsey Plum to sing her teammate’s praises.
“Lots of people put up numbers — and that’s no fault of them,” Plum mentioned. “However Chelsea impacts successful. Ask any participant within the league, any high-level participant, I assure they need Chelsea Grey on their workforce with 5 minutes left.”
Kelsey Plum with excessive reward for Chelsea Grey postgame:
“Lots of people put up numbers — and that’s no fault of them. However Chelsea impacts successful. Ask any participant within the league, any high-level participant, I assure they need Chelsea Grey on their workforce with 5 minutes left.” pic.twitter.com/P0pLW1a7Z7
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) September 25, 2024
In the meantime, Plum herself bounced again after a two-point Sport 1 displaying, posting 29 factors on 11-15 capturing within the deciding Sport 2. Younger has been quiet for the reason that Olympic break, and has averaged simply 10.5 factors on 34.8% capturing in two playoff wins. She’ll have her palms full defensively on this one, but when she will hit open pictures (as she has for almost all of her profession) that helps too.
The function gamers: Leonie Fiebich, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Tiffany Hayes, Alysha Clark
This sport is as star-studded as any WNBA matchup, boasting three former MVPs and eight Paris Olympians. However, the function gamers will likely be crucial, too. The Liberty have a few of the greatest within the sport, and the Aces have the almost certainly Sixth Participant of the Yr candidate in Tiffany Hayes. Hayes averaged 9.2 factors on 50.3% capturing this season, and was huge within the first spherical of the playoffs, averaging 14.5 factors on 63.2% capturing, together with 75% from three.
For the Liberty, Leonie Fiebich was efficient off the bench all yr, however was even higher as a starter, and now, head coach Sandy Brondello appears to love her match within the beginning lineup instead of Courtney Vandersloot. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton can be among the best two-way gamers within the sport, and appears to be wholesome after lacking a number of weeks resulting from knee surgical procedure. Fiebich and Hayes are the one principal rotation gamers who weren’t on final yr’s rosters, and their output will likely be crucial.
“New York is quite a bit higher than they had been final yr. Simply plain and easy,” Plum mentioned. “They’re larger, they shoot the ball at a greater clip. In case you go down the road, pound for pound individually, all of them are higher basketball gamers.”
Which Jonquel Jones are we getting?
Jonquel Jones may be probably the most dominant put up participant within the league. The Former MVP has been the x-factor in earlier wins in opposition to the Aces — in June, she exploded for 34 factors and eight rebounds in a 90-82 win over Las Vegas. However, she’s additionally had video games the place she’s been much more give up, trying just some pictures and never exerting herself within the inside. Jone must be her greatest self on this one, and she or he was a giant motive why the Liberty even had an opportunity in final yr’s finals in opposition to the Aces. Dialog round New York’s success typically facilities round Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, however Jonquel Jones has the potential to be probably the most dominant participant on the ground at any second.
