In a much-anticipated first sport of the WNBA Finals, the Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty 99-82. After a monstrous second half, the Aces trio of guards mixed for 72 factors. Unable to get stops on protection, the Aces scored practically 100 factors, on 40.9 three-point subject aim taking pictures. Sport two will happen on Wednesday, Oct 11 in Las Vegas.
THE LAS VEGAS ACES DEFEND HOME COURT AND TAKE GAME 1 🎰 pic.twitter.com/YY4hiQQXuS
— ESPN (@espn) October 8, 2023
The Liberty had the lead via halftime
The New York Liberty’s second half offense seemed uncharacteristic, whereas the Las Vegas Aces had one of the dominant performances of the postseason. With the common season sequence break up, excluding the Commissioners Cup, Aces guard Alysha Clark acknowledged the playoffs are a distinct expertise, by which each groups are “two fully totally different groups proper now.” Clark completed with 8 factors, 1 steal, 5 rebounds, and a pair of assists.
The Aces are the reigning 2022 WNBA Champions, whereas the Liberty have not appeared within the Finals since 2002. Whereas Las Vegas stored their championship core, the Liberty acquired three stars within the offseason, Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, and Courtney Vandersloot.
Two high groups on offense and protection, the Aces and Liberty equally shot 44.4 % from the three. Actually, New York had a constant three-point lead via the primary into the half. Via two quarters, either side had been evenly matched, each taking pictures over 40 % from three, and practically 50 % from the sector. For New York, Jonquel Jones had an unimaginable first half, with 12 factors and 9 rebounds. Jones completed with 16 factors and 10 rebounds, which marks her seventh consecutive double-double this postseason. For the Aces, Jackie Younger, A’ja Wilson, and Kelsey plum every had 12, 10, and 14 factors although the half.
Aces head coach Becky Hammon said the workforce gave themselves a “D” grade within the first quarter. When requested about her workforce’s classification, “I’d say C-minus,” “mentioned Hammon. “I did not assume they had been that unhealthy within the first half, however they flip it round to an A [grade]–I assumed they performed a reasonably good first half, did not like our protection within the [first half]. We simply sort of amped up protection, locked in, and simply tried to say stable.”
The Aces had a monumental third quarter
AND-1 FOR JY0 😤
The @LVAces are on a roll to finish the 3Q
📺 ABC | #WNBAFinals | @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/NjNpTFP7Xq
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 8, 2023
The Aces did precisely what Hammon mentioned. They executed on protection, and exploited New York’s offensive weaknesses. Within the second and third quarter, Vegas held the Liberty to simply 1-9 (11 %) three-point taking pictures, and 14-34 (41.2 %) from the sector. In addition to Breanna Stewart with 11 second half factors, no Liberty participant noticed numbers in double digits. New York had management of the boards within the first twenty minutes, which the Aces negated within the ultimate half. Within the ultimate twenty minutes, the Aces outrebounded the Liberty 19-13. Together with A’ja Wilsons 9 second half factors, Jackie Younger, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Grey mixed for 38 factors within the second a part of the assembly. The Aces took management of the paint, with a number of of their guards penetrating to the rim. New York was held to simply 12 factors within the paint within the ultimate two quarters.
In a sellout crowd of over 10,000 followers, The Aces went on a 14-4 run within the third quarter, by which they prolonged to a 20-8 run within the fourth quarter. The Liberty, as soon as up by three on the half, had been outscored 53-33 within the second half of the matchup. Unable to reply on the defensive finish, New York conceded 27 fourth quarter factors to Vegas. All 5 of the Aces starters, together with Alysha Clark, completed constructive +/- on the courtroom. With feelings tempered, Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon needed to be bodily restrained by her gamers after a number of questionable calls.
Jackie Younger had a profession night time
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 🤫
Playoff profession excessive for @JackieYoung3!
26 PTS5 REB4 AST3 STL5 3PM#RaiseTheStakes // #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/c5jmkJv2pb
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 8, 2023
Aces Guard Jackie Younger was drafted first general out of Notre Dame by the Aces within the 2019 draft. Initially not the best three-point shooter, Younger has risen to the highest, and have become the Aces deadliest weapon in sport one. In 37 minutes performed, Younger scored a playoff profession excessive 26 factors on 5-8 (60 %) from lengthy distance. The guard added 4 assists, 5 rebounds, and three steals. No. 0 is simply the fifth participant in WNBA Finals historical past to common over 25 factors and 5 made three pointers.
Younger continued to be the catalyst of the Aces offense via the ultimate two quarters. New York switching from man to zone protection, Jackie Younger could not be tamed. Via the second half of the matchup, Younger scored 14 factors on 5-7 subject aim taking pictures (71 %). All three of her steals got here within the again finish of the sport.
Lower than a minute into the primary quarter, Jackie Younger pulled a deep 25-foot three level shot over Sabrina Ionescu. 4 minutes later, Younger drilled one other three over Ionescu, this time using the robust display set by Kiah Stokes. Defensively, she held Ionescu to simply seven factors on 2-7 and 1-5 three-point taking pictures.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 👑 pic.twitter.com/AycJQ7WMlT
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 8, 2023
“She’s been spectacular all yr defensively,” Becky Hammon informed the press post-game. “Ought to’ve have been on a kind of groups. She’s someone who going into the season– I wished her, you recognize sort of child Bron [Lebron James] mode. She’s [Young] actually taken the problem of getting downhill. She’s robust, [Young] absorbs a whole lot of contact.” Talking of Lebron James, the “King” was attendance for sport one of many Finals.
The Aces trio of guards shined
4-of-a-Variety ♦️♠️
4 Aces scored in double digits to safe the W.@JackieYoung3: 26 PTS // 5 REB // 4 AST // 3 STL // 5 3PM@Kelseyplum10: 26 PTS // 5 REB // 53% FG@cgray209: 20 PTS // 6 REB // 9 AST // 2 BLK // 3 3PM@_ajawilson22: 19 PTS // 8 REB // 2 STL // 3 BLK //… pic.twitter.com/DUpaeFC5hk
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 8, 2023
Jackie Younger wasn’t the one participant to have a stellar night time for the Aces. Guard Kelsey Plum completed with 25 factors, on 10-19 (52.6 %) subject aim taking pictures, and 1-7 (14 %) from lengthy vary. There have been a number of events the place Plum was in a position to drive and discover the open lay in. 2022 Finals MVP Chelsea Grey added 20 factors on 6-13 (46 %) subject aim, and 3-5 (60 %) three-point taking pictures. Grey dished out 9 of the Aces 21 assists. The trio of guards completed with a mixed 73 factors, 2 blocks, 4 steals, 16 rebounds, and 14 assists. Plum, Younger, and Grey all completed the common season high 15 at their place and factors scored. Younger lead all guards in subject aim proportion (52.3).
“It was a very nice contribution,” Hammon mentioned of Younger, Grey, and Plum. “The three of them, our trio of guards, I assumed had been fairly ridiculous general.” Hammon talked about “Jackie is simply scratching the floor of how nice she might be.”
Defensive Participant of the yr A’ja Wilson said Jackie Younger “is the child sister she by no means wished.” “I like her to demise, and I am going to verify I’m pulling that confidence out of her, Jackie is a bit shy. ” Wilson talked about “eyebrows” had been raised when the Aces drafted Younger first general.
Sisters 🤞
“I like her to demise and I will guarantee that I’m pulling that confidence out of her… As a result of if you see that, you get the very best Jackie.” — @_ajawilson22 on Jackie
“She actually instills that confidence in me. She’s like my massive sister. She’s at all times… pic.twitter.com/8kXHa8E4tU
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 9, 2023
The Liberty want to enhance defensively
Liberty head Coach Sandy Brondello weighed within the Aces guard’s efficiency post-game. “Properly, we did not do an incredible job of stopping them, clearly,” mentioned Brondello. “They’re nice gamers, they usually had been all moving into the paint. Jackie [Young] clearly was making a whole lot of threes. I feel their motion bought us out of place a bit.” Brondello talked about the one-on-one protection, and the Aces bought “the higher hand” on this sport.
Coach Brondello acknowledged the Liberty want to enhance defensively. Via 40 minutes, Las Vegas completed with 99 factors, on 35-64 (54.7 %) subject aim taking pictures, and 11th of September (40.1 %) from lengthy vary. On the guards, Brondello said, “We have to make them a bit bit tougher than what they had been. I imply that they had too many open layups on the rim.”
The Liberty get early offensive help from the “Wizard”
The Las Vegas Aces sometimes run a six-player lineup, which incorporates A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Younger, Chelsea Grey, Kiah Stokes, and Alysha Clark. The New York Liberty have barely extra depth, which incorporates Marine Johannès and Kayla Thornton off the bench. Via 40 common season video games, each the Liberty and Aces ranked close to final in bench factors. In seven put up season video games, New York averages the second lowest bench factors (seven), in comparison with the Aces ten. From enjoying man and zone protection, Sandy Brondello entered guard Marine Johannès within the sport early. Via the playoffs, Johannès averages 3.2 factors on 31.8 subject aim and 29.4 three-point proportion. There’ one workforce the France guard excels in opposition to, and that is the Las Vegas Aces.
Marine Johannès is a sniper from lengthy vary
In twenty minutes, Johannès scored an early 14 first half factors. The guard shot the ball successfully, 5-6 (83 %) from the sector, and 4-5 (80 %) from downtown. Nicknamed the “Wizard,” Johannès supplied a set off the Liberty bench, particularly with Courtney Vandersloot struggling. On a number of cases, No. 23 utilized screens, hitting contested three pointers off one leg. In a Rythm, Johannès was in a position to create her personal shot, once more hitting off steadiness. Just like the Commissioners Cup, the guard was prepared and poised for transition three-pointers. In 4 common season video games in opposition to the Aces, Johannès averaged 6 factors on 56.3 % subject aim, and 50 % three-point taking pictures. In New York’s Commissioners Cup Victory, Johannès scored 17 factors on 5-7 three-point taking pictures.
“Apparently, Johannès actually likes to play in opposition to us, ” mentioned Hammon post-game. “She hits robust ones. Like I am simply an enormous fan, apart from when she’s enjoying us.”
“Marine got here out as Marine,” mentioned Liberty coach Brondello. ” She’s had some good video games in opposition to this workforce, and he or she was making pictures. ” Johannès was restricted to zero second half factors, by which Brondello credit their protection and rotation.
WNBA Finals Schedule
Sport 2: Wed, Oct 11: New York Liberty @ Las Vegas Aces, 9 p.m. EDT, ESPNGame 3: Solar, Oct 15: Las Vegas Aces @ New York Liberty, 3 p.m. EDT, ABCGame 4 *: Wed, Oct 18: Las Vegas Aces @ New York Liberty, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPNGame 5 *: Fri, Oct 20: New York Liberty @ Las Vegas Aces, 9 p.m. EDT, ESPN
The Las Vegas Aces will matchup in opposition to the New York Liberty on Wednesday for sport two of the WNBA Finals. Finest of 5 video games, the Aces will look to remain undefeated within the postseason. For New York, they’ve by no means misplaced two consecutive video games, and can look to even up the sequence.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter at BallisLife, and Sports activities Content material Creator on Twitch and TikTok. She has a deal with the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL. Sara Jane at the moment resides in Connecticut/NYC space together with her Cat and Canine. SJ has her undergraduate diploma from the College of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in enterprise administration.
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