Aces stay alive with a 95-81 win over the Liberty, avoiding elimination.
The Liberty will get another chance to finish the job this Sunday, but if the Aces pull off another win, a winner-takes-all Game 5 will go down in New York on Tuesday.
With the win, Las Vegas made history, setting a WNBA record with their 12th consecutive home playoff victory. The previous mark was shared by the Los Angeles Sparks (2001-04) and the Sacramento Monarchs (2003-06).
This was also the Aces’ first win over the Liberty this season, after three straight regular-season losses and two defeats to start the series.
“This is when teams are most dangerous — with their backs against the wall,” said Breanna Stewart, who led New York with 19 points. “They threw everything at us tonight, and they did what they needed to do.”
Jackie Young led the Aces with 24 points, while Kelsey Plum added 20. A’ja Wilson had a big game with 19 points and 14 rebounds, Tiffany Hayes chipped in 11 points, and Chelsea Gray contributed 10 points and seven assists. The Aces shot a blistering 52.1% from the field, including 40.6% from three-point range.
Aces coach Becky Hammon voiced her frustration with the officiating, particularly how Wilson, the league’s three-time MVP, was handled. Across three games, Wilson has only been awarded 10 free throws, including just two in this one.
“It’s ridiculous, and I’m tired of it,” Hammon vented. “She’s constantly getting contact when she drives to the basket, and the lack of calls is unbelievable.”
For the Liberty, Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally both contributed 11 points, while Leonie Fiebich had 10. Star guard Sabrina Ionescu, who had been averaging 24.5 points in the playoffs, was held to just four points on 1-of-7 shooting and didn’t score until a minute into the fourth quarter.
“We tried to make things tough for her and stop her momentum,” Hammon explained.
Las Vegas also clamped down defensively in the paint. After being outscored by 20 points in the lane in Game 2, the Aces flipped the script in this one with a 42-28 edge inside.
“We knew they were attacking us in the paint, whether it was post-ups, layups, or offensive rebounds,” Gray said. “We had to focus on that if we wanted to win.”
The Aces took full control in the third quarter, turning a close 57-53 game into a 73-53 blowout. New York scored just six points in that stretch, forcing coach Sandy Brondello to call multiple timeouts in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
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Las Vegas extended the lead to 78-55 early in the fourth quarter, wrapping up a 21-2 run that sealed the game.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with 18 lead changes and eight ties. The Aces held a slim 52-49 lead at halftime, but Brondello felt the Liberty weren’t playing at their best.
“We are a much better team than what we showed tonight,” she said. “Even though we were only down three at the half, it just didn’t feel right.”
The Aces were missing Kiah Stokes, who suffered a concussion late in Game 3.
In the crowd, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić sat courtside with teammate Dereck Lively II, coach Jason Kidd, and general manager Nico Harrison. Also in attendance were Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
SportsLigue