The New York Liberty delivered a stunning performance in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, defeating the defending champions, Las Vegas Aces, with a score of 87-73. This win keeps the Liberty alive in the best-of-five championship series, following two challenging losses on the road.
New York’s forward, Jonquel Jones, who has been a standout player throughout the postseason, continued to shine in front of a sellout crowd in Brooklyn. Jones contributed 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, playing a pivotal role in keeping the Liberty’s hopes alive in this clash of the WNBA “super teams.”
After the Aces appeared poised for a clean sweep with dominant wins in Game 1 (99-82) and Game 2 (104-76), they struggled to replicate their offensive prowess in Game 3. Las Vegas guard Kelsey Plum led her team in scoring with 29 points.
Jones expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance, saying, “Played with heart. We’ve got to come out with the same level of intensity (in Game 4). We have to play hard, we have to continue to make it hard on Vegas – no easy buckets for them.”
New York swiftly turned around their challenging start in their first Finals campaign in 21 years. The Liberty established a 43-40 lead at halftime and maintained control of the game, showcasing a strong defensive effort that kept Las Vegas scoreless for over three minutes into the third quarter.
A significant block by the 2023 MVP, Breanna Stewart, on Aces superstar A’ja Wilson in the third quarter electrified the crowd and propelled the Liberty into the final quarter with momentum. Stewart contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Stewart attributed the team’s turnaround to self-reflection, stating, “Taking a look at ourselves and taking a look in the mirror and understanding the basketball that we played those two games in Vegas wasn’t anything that we were proud of. We’re really happy to continue to keep our season alive.”
The Aces, who appeared rattled, face the challenge of regrouping, possibly without their star point guard, Chelsea Gray, who left the court with an injury late in the fourth quarter. Aces coach Becky Hammon did not provide details about Gray’s injury but mentioned that her workload would be distributed among multiple players if she misses time.
The Las Vegas Aces are pursuing a rare achievement, aiming to become the first team in over two decades to claim back-to-back titles in the WNBA. Game 4 of the series is set to take place in New York on Wednesday.
