The No. 2 Las Vegas Aces defeated the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury 91-78 in Sport 2 of the 2025 WNBA Finals, to go up 2-0 within the sequence.
Jackie Younger had 32 factors whereas four-time MVP A’ja Wilson had 28 factors and 14 rebounds.
Regardless of a quiet scoring efficiency, Alyssa Thomas handed Courtney Vandersloot to grow to be the all-time chief in WNBA postseason assists, with 386.
Here is what it is advisable to learn about the whole lot that occurred on Sunday. The very best-of-seven sequence shifts to Phoenix for Sport 3 on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
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How the Aces gained
Las Vegas’ huge three of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Younger and Chelsea Grey have performed collectively for 5 seasons. That have and connectedness actually confirmed when Las Vegas took management of the sport with a 22-10 second-quarter benefit after which basically buried the Mercury by scoring 30 factors within the third, when Younger had 21 factors, a WNBA Finals file for 1 / 4.
Grey was the epitome of her “Level Gawd” nickname on Sunday with 10 assists, together with 10 factors and eight rebounds. She is so accustomed to discovering Wilson and Younger on court docket, anticipating their strikes, and as soon as the Aces began clicking the Mercury regarded a step behind the remainder of the sport.
The Aces will all the time say their offense relies on protection, and that confirmed within the second quarter when the Mercury struggled to get any of the appears they wished. Then even when Phoenix began to create higher alternatives, it was too late to matter.
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Chelsea Grey loves Jackie Younger getting by Mercury for a bucket
Jackie Younger drives within the lane and will get a troublesome basket for the Aces.
How the Mercury misplaced
They could not guard Wilson with out Alyssa Thomas stepping into foul bother, they usually could not guard Younger in any respect. That stated, they began the sport robust, and had a 27-24 lead after the primary quarter. Even then, although, it felt as if Phoenix was in bother as a result of the offense was so reliant on Kahleah Copper, who completed with 23 factors.
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Satou Sabally makes Aces pay for turnover with and-1 bucket
Satou Sabally scores and attracts a foul in transition for the Mercury.
Satou Sabally had 22 factors, however she took some photographs too early within the shot clock, which the Aces had been capable of flip into transition factors. Phoenix additionally acquired little from its bench. And the Mercury — after making 14 3-pointers in an in depth Sport 1 loss — had been 5-of-28 from behind the arc on Sunday. Each time Phoenix began to make a little bit run, Las Vegas was capable of reply and shut down any hope the Mercury had of coming again.
What may resolve Sport 3?
The Mercury need to marvel what to do when the Aces gained the primary two video games in numerous methods. Las Vegas rallied to form of steal Sport 1 89-86 behind an excellent bench output, with 39 factors from Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd. Wilson (21 factors, 10 rebounds) and Younger (10 factors, 5 assists) had been good in that sport Friday, however they had been nice on Sunday in a blowout. In the meantime, Grey managed each video games nicely, although Sunday had quite a bit much less suspense. She has 20 assists up to now within the Finals.
The Mercury will get a lift being at house for Video games 3 and 4, however additionally they want to determine tips on how to decelerate the Aces’ perimeter offense. At this level, preserving Wilson under 30 factors is a constructive, and the Mercury have carried out that in each video games. However they’ve allowed the Aces guards to resolve the outcomes: They’d a mixed 56 factors Sunday after 57 on Friday.
The problem for Phoenix is two-fold: disrupt Grey’s ball distribution and scoring from the opposite Aces guards. They’ve a few days to strive to determine how. — Michael Voepel