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Tag: WNBA Playoffs

  • Breanna Stewart, Liberty hold off Alyssa Thomas, Sun to even semifinals at 1

    Breanna Stewart, Liberty hold off Alyssa Thomas, Sun to even semifinals at 1

    The Liberty tied up their semifinal series against the Connecticut Sun after getting a 84-77 victory on Tuesday.

    The win sets up Sandy Brondello’s team for two games at Mohegan Sun Arena, beginning with Game 3 on Friday night.

    The theme of Game 1 was the Liberty’s lack of energy and inability to create any momentum. That wasn’t an issue down the stretch of Game 2.

    Timely jumpers and clutch defensive stops led to the Liberty evening the series. With eight minutes remaining, Betnijah Laney intercepted Tyasha Harris’ pass and eventually converted a three-point play on the other end. Laney then assisted on a Courtney Vandersloot 18-footer. Then, 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart knocked down a clutch jumper that put her team up 10 with seven minutes remaining. It led the Barclays Center crowd to erupt and serenade the newly-awarded MVP.

    Stewart was named MVP for the second time Tuesday in a historic race for the award. She received 466 total votes, beating out Sun star Alyssa Thomas, who finished with 10 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in the game. Thomas, who garnered 459 votes, finished second despite getting the most first-place votes (23). Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson placed third with 433 points. The 13 points separating Stewart and Wilson represent the smallest margin between first- and third-place vote-getters for MVP in WNBA history.

    Prior to tip-off, Stewart spoke to reporters about her successful regular season and the multiple milestones she accomplished, including suiting up for a new team and expecting the birth of her second child with her wife.

    “It’s been a rollercoaster of a journey, but I wouldn’t wish it to be any other way. Just to continue to show that resiliency works and no matter the highs and lows, just continue to push forward.”

    “To be the first Liberty athlete to win MVP — I think is huge.”

    Stewart credited her teammates for the success she’s had this year. They helped lift Stewart, as she got off to a slow start. The now two-time MVP winner started the game 0-for-5 en route to finishing with 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five blocks.

    Laney kept the Sun from getting too close as the Liberty’s lead dwindled to single digits. She scored nine points in the final period while also getting stops on the other end. The Rutgers product finished with 20 points, three assists, four rebounds and a steal.

    The Sun came out swinging, as expected. They were on the wrong end of some no-calls, but led by six after the first quarter. The Liberty managed to not fall into a double-digit deficit due to Jonquel Jones’ hot start — nine points and three rebounds. The former Sun star contributed 11 points, 13 rebounds and two assists.

    Brondello switched to zone defense in the second quarter to force the Sun into deep jumpers. And the adjustment worked on a few possessions.

    The Liberty were able to get within one after a Vandersloot steal led to a made 24-footer by Sabrina Ionescu. However, DeWanna Bonner hit one of the momentum-killing jumpers she’s been hitting all postseason.

    The Sun eventually led by four at the half.

    A third-quarter run by the Sun led to a Game 1 victory. But on Tuesday, the Liberty’s 18-5 after halftime gave the team some much-needed breathing room. The resistance on defense was tougher and the offense looked more fluid. Ionescu was able to create offense as the point guard and contribute a couple of assists to Stewart to get her going. Then, Laney’s 27-footer put her team up seven and caused the home crowd to erupt.

    Stewart then palmed Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s layup attempt. The block sent Nelson-Ododa to the floor and the crowd erupted again.

    “MVP, MVP.” It was perfect payback after the 6-4 Stewart got blocked by the 5-8 Natisha Hiedeman in the second half of Game 1.

    The Liberty eventually won the second half, 46-35. The win avoids Brondello’s team from entering Connecticut with their backs against the wall down 0-2. Sun guard Tiffany Hayes attempted to carry her team to a 2-0 lead by scoring 30 points on 12-for-19 shooting from the field. Bonner contributed 19 points, seven boards and four assists.

    Fiifi Frimpong

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  • Las Vegas Aces win first WNBA title, Chelsea Gray named MVP

    Las Vegas Aces win first WNBA title, Chelsea Gray named MVP

    UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Las Vegas never had a professional sports champion — until Sunday.

    Chelsea Gray scored 20 points to lead the Las Vegas Aces to their first WNBA title, and the city’s first pro title, in a 78-71 road win over the Connecticut Sun in Game 4.

    Gray went 9 of 13 from the floor, and was named Finals MVP after averaging 18.3 points in the series.

    Vegas finished on an 8-0 run. As the buzzer sounded, league MVP A’ja Wilson, who played every minute of the game, grabbed the ball and stomped the floor before being mobbed by her teammates.

    “We champs! We champs! We champs!” Wilson screamed at teammates as they pulled on their championship hats and T-shirts before the trophy ceremony.

    Riquna Williams had 17 points for Vegas, Kelsey Plum added 16 points, Jackie Young had 13 and Wilson added 11 points to go with her 14 rebounds.

    Wilson hopes this is just the beginning for the franchise.

    “You see it. You see it,” Wilson said in the on-court celebration. “This is what we’re building. This is what we’re doing. This is it. I’m so happy right now.”

    Courtney Williams had 17 points to lead Connecticut and Alyssa Thomas had her second straight triple-double with 11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Jonquel Jones added 13 points and DeWanna Bonner had 12.

    “When you come up short it certainly, really hurts,” Sun coach Curt Miller said. “But that means that there was something that mattered, and something special among that group of players.”

    For Aces coach Becky Hammon, who didn’t get a title in her standout WNBA career, the ring completed a decades-long quest. She left an assistant coach position with Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs to take over in Las Vegas. The move paid off.

    “They’re unbelievable on the court, but they’re unbelievable humans, first and foremost,” Hammon said. “They care about each other. They invest in each other. It’s been an absolute honor to be their coach. I saw excellence and I wanted to be a part of it.”

    Hammon also paid tribute to former Aces coach Bill Laimbeer, who was on the floor for the ceremony: “He put this team together and saw the pieces.”

    Aces owner Mark Davis, who also owns the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, wasn’t with his football team Sunday. He was in Connecticut to get a trophy. He hoisted it, then turned it over to gleeful players who did the same.

    “Las Vegas, we are world champions,” Davis said.

    The Aces led by two points at the half and four points after three quarters. They held a six-point lead in the fourth when Plum was called for a flagrant foul after running into Bonner while the Sun guard was attempting a 3-pointer and sending her to the floor holding her right ankle.

    Bonner hit all three free throws before Jones’ short jumper cut the lead to a point. The Sun then tied the game at 67 on free throw by Courtney Williams and took a 71-70 lead on two fouls shots from Brionna Jones.

    But Las Vegas had the answers.

    Riquna Williams 3-pointer put the Aces back on top and Gray’s step-back jumper extended the lead back to 75-71 with under a minute left. A’ja Wilson then stole a pass and Plum hit a short jump shot to secure the win.

    SCRAPPY GAME

    As expected, it was a physical game — appropriately played on an NFL Sunday. The Sun got a scare when Bonner took an inadvertent elbow to the gut from Gray late in the first quarter and was on the floor for a few minutes before being helped to the bench. She came back into the game later in the half, apparently suffering no ill effects. Natisha Hiedeman and Plum got into a short pushing match in the second quarter, eliciting technical fouls for both players. That was all before Plum’s flagrant in the fourth.

    NO GRAY AREA

    Gray wasn’t a WNBA All-Star this season, nor was she a first-team all-league pick, and had voiced her displeasure about that. After scoring 21 points in each of the first two games of the Finals, she scored just 11 points in Game 3, but bounced back. Way back.

    “They can keep that All-Star and first team,” Gray said. “I got the ring.”

    INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATIONS

    Before the game, both coaches reflected on the makeup of organizations in the Final. The Aces are led by Hammon and two Black women executives in general manager Natalie Williams and Nikki Fargas, president of business operations. The Sun are owned by the Mohegan Tribe, have a woman president in Jen Rizzotti and are coached by Curt Miller, a gay man.

    “Women’s basketball is such a story in terms of diversity and inclusion. I mean, our league defines it and I’m so proud to be a part of it,” Miller said, adding that he hopes to be an inspiration to any gay child “wondering if they can chase a career in sports.”

    Hammon said she believes the diversity in her team’s front office has made it stronger.

    “You can make a lot better picture with a box full of crayons than just a pencil,” she said.

    VEGAS PRIDE AND PARADE

    The start of the celebration was shown on the video screens at the Raiders’ stadium during the NFL game against Arizona on Sunday, with fans breaking into loud cheers.

    They can cheer more in a few days: a parade on the Las Vegas Strip is planned for Tuesday night.

    “What a team, what talent, what a victory! You have made Las Vegas so proud!” Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said in a statement. “Thank you for your effort, discipline & focus. We can’t wait for the celebrations & a great parade!”

    Wilson said after the game that paradegoers should be ready for a party: “When you come to the parade, you better be four shots in. If you ain’t four shots in, don’t come.”

    TIP-INS

    The Aces improved to 4-0 in this year’s playoffs with two days rest. … Vegas is the fourth WNBA team to win a title with both a league MVP and coach of the year … The Sun came up short after having been among the last four WNBA teams standing for each of the last four seasons, making it back to the Finals for the first time since 2019.

    “Nobody expected us to be here,” Bonner said. “They expected us to lose to Chicago. They expected us to lose to Dallas. Despite all of that, we made it to the Finals.” ___

    This story has been corrected to show the Aces’ general manager’s first name is Natalie.

    ___

    More WNBA playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-playoffs and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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