This may not have been the Finals may predicted either at the beginning of the season or at the beginning of the playoffs.
But that is why professional basketball games are played on that 94-by-50 feet of hardwood.
The path for both Becky Hammon’s Las Vegas Aces and Nate Tibbetts’ Phoenix Mercury was anything but linear. The Mercury fought through injuries in order to arrive at this point. The Aces also battled injuries – and mediocre play – earlier in the season to arrive at the Finals.
Even with those struggles – the Aces still won the season series against the Mercury – and is why Las Vegas will be a heavy favorite to prevail and re-establish dynasty status.
May 6: Aces win 85-84 (Preseason)
The first contest between Aces and Mercury actually took place in the preseason at Michelob Ultra Arena. A close contest tilted the way of Las Vegas by virtue of an 85-84 result.
Five Aces finished in double-digits for that contest – including Deja Kelly who scored 15 points. A’ja Wilson played just over 22 minutes and tallied 14 points plus six rebounds plus three assists plus three blocks. Vegas also benefitted from 11 points courtesy of Jewell Loyd not to mention 10-point outings from Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.
The Point Gawd’s performance included six assists and five rebounds. Crystal Bradford also chimed in with six boards.
As for the Mercury, Phoenix benefitted from 14-point performances courtesy of Satou Sabally and Kathryn Westbeld. Sabally also brought down five rebounds, dished out two assists and collected one steal. Westbeld grabbed three boards. Alexis Prince also scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds.
Kahleah Copper only scored six points and Alyssa Thomas only had five but she also brought down five rebounds and sent out five dimes.
June 15: Mercury win 76-70 (Commissioner’s Cup)
The first time these two teams did battle for real this season occurred in mid-June during Commissioner’s Cup play. The scene was Michelob Ultra Arena, but the Mercury got the better of the Aces in a 76-70 decision where Vegas was without Wilson.
Phoenix’s Big Three played the way a Big Three should. This included Sabally who scored 22 points in over 30 minutes of play. She also was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine in addition to three assists and one steal. Thomas did muster a double-double in that contest with 14 points and 13 assists in addition to six rebounds. The Engine’s performance also included six steals.
The Mercury also benefitted from the 11 points that were courtesy of Copper – as well as 18 the team received from another veteran in Sami Whitcomb off the bench.
With no Wilson, Las Vegas had to embrace a next woman up mentality. Gray was the leading scorer with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds (plus four assists and one steal) in over 37 minutes. Also lifting the Aces were Loyd’s 17 points and six rebounds as well as the 15 points, five dimes and three boards from Jackie Young.
Kierstan Bell concluded her game with eight points off the bench. Kiah Stokes led Las Vegas’ rebounding efforts in Wilson’s stead with 14.
June 29: Aces win 84-81
The scene shifted to PHX Arena in late July – and it continued a theme of road teams prevailing in these regular season contests. Another close contest between these two teams this time went the way of Las Vegas with the scoreboard reading 84-81 at the final buzzer.
This time, No. 22 was back for Las Vegas – and she resembled her M’V4 self. Wilson concluded that June 29 contest with a double-double of 26 points and 18 rebounds plus seven assists, one steal and one block.
The 15 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals that came from Young also played a massive part in what was only Las Vegas’ eighth win of the season. Loyd helped the Aces cause with 10 points as did Gray who turned in a nine-point, five-rebound, five-assist performance.
Las Vegas also benefitted from a 16-point outing off the bench courtesy of rookie Aaliyah Nye.
Phoenix had four of its players finish in double digits points-wise. Per usual, one of those was Thomas who finished with 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Another – also, per usual – was Copper who played nearly 30 minutes and added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists to the Mercury’s efforts. Sabally was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine in addition to 10 points.
Whitcomb had 14 points and three assists in addition to connecting on four of her nine 3-point attempts.
August 15: Aces win 86-83
Following that 111-58 rout at the hands of the Lynx, the Las Vegas Aces began to remember that they are the Las Vegas Aces.
Las Vegas’ long winning binge it went on prior to these playoffs included an August 15 get-together with the Mercury at PHX Arena. It was another game that decided by three points ala that late June contest. It was another contest where the Aces had three more than the Mercury.
Wilson continued her stellar play that would eventually net her that fourth MVP. She scored 30 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked two shots (two shots) in 33 minutes.
It was a 17-point, seven-rebound, five-assist performance for Special Agent Zero – in addition to connecting on two of her five attempts from deep. Gray saw 35 minutes on the court and scored 16 points plus dishing out nine assists. Smith also corralled nine rebounds and Loyd tallied 10 points off Las Vegas’ bench.
Sabally would be Phoenix’s leading point-getter in this contest. The Unicorn played nearly 30 minutes and finished with 26 points plus five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Aiding Phoenix’s cause were 15-point efforts from both AT and Copper.
Thomas also contributed nine assists and six rebounds plus one block to the Mercury’s efforts. Copper pulled down three rebounds.
Off the bench, Bonner – once again sporting Phoenix colors – added 12 points and four rebounds in over 24 minutes of playing time. The Mercury’s star rookie Monique Akoa Makani added eight points, six assists and four rebounds as part of Phoenix’s starting five.
August 21: Aces win 83-61
The Aces really looked like a team that remembered who they are as Las Vegas and Phoenix exchanged pleasantries one final time in the regular season back in Sin City.
Las Vegas continued its meteoric surge up the WNBA standings that game when it routed the Mercury by a final tally of 83-61.
Five Aces finished in double-digits for points – including Wilson, per usual. She played nearly 30 minutes and contributed a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Dana Evans came in off the bench and provided a spark for Vegas. She played over 19 minutes and scored 17 points.
Out of those five that finished in double-digits, three had 12 – Young, Smith and Gray. Young added five rebounds and assists in addition to a pair of blocks. Gray dished out four assists, hauled in three rebounds and collected a pair of steals.
AT did more AT things on August. She scored 17, grabbed 11 boards and dimed out six assists plus scavenged two steals. Sabally tallied 15 points and brought down three rebounds in nearly 25 minutes of play. Akoa Makani finished with nine points and six rebounds.
