TC Martin

Boom Shaka Laka - Aces Win 3rd Title

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The Las Vegas Aces have done it again! 

 

Despite a regular season that saw embarrassing lopsided losses midway through the season, this veteran team pulled themselves together and ran roughshod through the league from August 3rd on to capture their third WNBA Championship in the past four years.

 

It culminated with an impressive shellacking of the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4 of the Finals on Friday night in Phoenix.  The 97-86 win enabled the Aces to sweep the best of seven series 4-0 and finished an incredible run that featured a 17-game winning streak while taking 25 of their final 28 contests.

 

This was a sharp contrast to the early part of the season when they suffered two 27-point losses to the expansion Golden State Valkyries and the Indiana Fever and two defeats to the Minnesota Lynx by 31 and 53 points.  It all changed after that.

 

The Aces never trailed in the Finals clincher, building a 30-21 lead by the end of the first quarter on 55% shooting. Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray and Dana Evans made three straight 3s early in the second quarter to put Las Vegas ahead by 19 and led 54-38 at the half.

 

The lead grew to 20 and the Aces were never really threatened.  Phoenix did cut the lead to 76-70 with 7:56 to go but the champs lengthened the margin back to

double digits.

 

A'ja Wilson finished her dominant MVP season with 31 points and nine rebounds while Gray and Jackie Young each scored 18 points. The Aces had five double figure scorers.

 

Wilson was named Finals MVP as well after being named the Co Defensive Player of the Year and All-WNBA First team and Defensive Team this season.

 

This championship will be remembered for the resiliency and the leadership of Becky Hammon, Wilson and Gray along with an unbreakable bond and team chemistry.  The third title in four seasons is fantastic is his historical but their leaders and owner, Mark Davis are still hungry for more.

 

Next season and this team could look totally different as most players in the league will be free agents with a new collective bargaining agreement needing to be finalized.  In the meantime, these Aces will celebrate their current championship and legacy.