The Las Vegas Aces secured their place in the WNBA playoffs by defeating the Chicago Sky 79-74, marking their 11th consecutive win. Jackie Young led with 22 points, while A’ja Wilson added 18 points and nine rebounds.
Despite Ariel Atkins scoring a season-high 30 points for Chicago, the Aces held firm. Chelsea Gray’s crucial 3-pointer with just over a minute left sealed the victory.
Las Vegas (25-14) joined the Minnesota Lynx as playoff contenders this season. The Sky had erased a 14-point deficit to briefly lead, but failed to score in the final minutes. Gray’s performance was notable, hitting four out of five from beyond the arc and finishing with 14 points. Young also impressed, making four of six three-pointers and shooting nine of 13 overall.
Angel Reese contributed significantly for Chicago with her league-leading 20th double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Kamilla Cardoso also recorded a double-double with 19 points and ten rebounds. The Sky made a strong comeback in the third quarter, narrowing Las Vegas’ lead to two points after a nine-point run capped by Atkins’ jumper.
Young was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 20 points on eight-of-ten shooting. She was instrumental during a decisive 12-2 run that gave Las Vegas a comfortable lead at halftime. Despite Chicago’s efforts to close the gap in the third quarter, they couldn’t maintain momentum in the final minutes.
New York Liberty Triumphs Over Connecticut Sun
Breanna Stewart’s return bolstered New York Liberty as they edged past Connecticut Sun with an 81-79 win. Stewart scored 19 points in her first game back after missing a month due to injury. Her presence helped New York avoid further losses after struggling without her.
Jonquel Jones also shone for Liberty with an impressive performance of 18 points on eight-of-ten shooting, along with eleven rebounds and six assists. Kennedy Burke added crucial support by contributing fourteen points during a pivotal fourth-quarter run that turned a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
Connecticut Sun saw their three-game winning streak end despite Leila Lacan’s career-high of twenty-two points off the bench. Aneesah Morrow also contributed significantly with eighteen points and fifteen rebounds. The Sun managed to take a brief lead late in the game but couldn’t hold it against New York’s late surge.
The Liberty started strong by shooting over seventy percent in the first quarter but struggled in the second as Connecticut closed in on them. However, New York regained control through timely free throws and key plays from Burke and Emma Meesseman to secure their victory.
Both games highlighted critical performances from key players that influenced their teams’ outcomes significantly.