Liberty’s Commanding Performance in Game 1
⛹️♀️In Game 1 of the Finals, New York never allowed the Aces to take the lead. At one point, they surged ahead by 18 points in the third quarter, showing that their regular-season dominance over Las Vegas was no fluke. Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu led the charge, combining for 55 points, while A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum contributed 45 points for the Aces.
Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Contain A’ja Wilson
????Lisa Leslie, a fan of both teams, gave special praise to A’ja Wilson. She joked about critics calling Wilson’s Game 1 performance underwhelming, despite her 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Leslie pointed out that those numbers are impressive for most players, but expectations for Wilson are sky-high because she often carries the team.
Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
????Leslie emphasized that stopping Wilson is the key to beating the Aces. “They weren’t gonna let A’ja beat them, and that is the key to this whole series,” she said. Leslie believes that for New York to secure the championship, they’ll need to make sure someone else steps up for Las Vegas because Wilson alone has the ability to turn the series around.
The Importance of Game 2 for the Aces
⛹️♀️Despite New York’s Game 1 victory, Leslie warned that the Aces only need to win one game in New York to shift momentum. “Game 2 is actually even more important because it’s gonna be tough to win in Las Vegas,” Leslie explained. With the teams so closely matched, this best-of-five series could go either way, even though statistics favor the team that wins Game 1, which has a 77% chance of taking the series.
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— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 1, 2024
