The New York Liberty are on to the WNBA Finals after defeating the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces within the semifinals. They acquired the job performed with a 76-62 win in Recreation 4 on Sunday, thanks largely to an enormous effort from Breanna Stewart, who completed with 19 factors, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. Sabrina Ionescu additionally bounced again from a tough Recreation 3 so as to add 22 factors and 7 rebounds.
That is the second consecutive Finals look for the Liberty, who misplaced to the Aces in 4 video games final season, and their sixth total, which is tied for probably the most ever. However regardless of all of their journeys to the Finals, they’re nonetheless in the hunt for their first title. They’ve a superb likelihood to finish that drought this season.
No. 1 New York Liberty def. No. 4 Las Vegas Aces, 3-1
- Recreation 1: Liberty 87, Aces 77 (Liberty, 1-0)
- Recreation 2: Liberty 88, Aces 84 (Liberty, 2-0)
- Recreation 3: Aces 95, Liberty 81 (Liberty, 2-1)
- Recreation 4: Liberty 76, Aces 62 (Liberty, 3-1)
Gamers to look at
Liberty: Sabrina Ionescu
Ionescu put the Liberty on her again in Recreation 2 of the primary spherical and completed with a playoff career-high 36 factors, tying the Liberty’s franchise document for factors in a postseason recreation. Can she preserve that stage on this collection? One of many many causes the Liberty fell to the Aces within the Finals final season is that Ionescu didn’t play effectively: 9.8 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per recreation on 31.6% taking pictures total. If she performs to her typical stage, the Liberty have an amazing shot to advance.
Aces: Chelsea Gray
Let’s persist with the guard theme right here. Grey missed the primary month of the season whereas recovering from a foot damage she suffered within the 2023 Finals, and struggled to search out a lot of a rhythm upon her return. Over the previous couple of weeks, nevertheless, there have been an increasing number of glimpses. Within the first spherical she averaged 14 factors and eight assists, and together with these two video games the Aces are 22-7 along with her within the lineup this season and 7-6 with out her. Her presence alone is a big increase for the Aces, and if she’s wherever close to her greatest, they will nonetheless pull off this three-peat.
Three keys to the collection
The Liberty’s jumbo protection vs. A’ja Wilson
There is no stopping A’ja Wilson, however some groups are higher outfitted to make issues troublesome for her. The primary spherical was an ideal instance, because the Storm’s dimension and physicality within the paint compelled Wilson to actually work for her buckets. She nonetheless scored 45 factors within the two video games, but it surely took her 38 photographs to get there and she or he tried simply seven free throws. In consequence, the Storm had an opportunity to win each video games.
Can the Liberty comply with the identical blueprint? On paper, the reply is sure.
The Liberty boast two of the league’s greatest inside defenders in Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, who determine to take turns as the first on Wilson. Round them, they’ve a really massive beginning lineup now that Leonie Fiebich has taken Courtney Vandersloot’s place, and play with loads of physicality. And when Kiah Stokes is on the market with Wilson, the Liberty may have a participant they will largely ignore on the perimeter with a view to crowd the paint.
Wilson goes to get her numbers and have a significant influence on each ends of the ground, but it surely’s value noting that within the final two seasons, she has solely eclipsed the 25-point mark as soon as in opposition to the Liberty and their Stewart-Jones frontcourt. Will that development proceed? Or does the three-time MVP have a couple of tips up her sleeve?
3-point taking pictures
Of the eight groups that made the playoffs this season, none of them shot extra 3-pointers within the common season than the Liberty (29.0) and Aces (26.5), who completed first and third within the league, respectively, in makes an attempt per recreation. Neither group shot it in addition to they might have anticipated, however each nonetheless completed within the high 5 by way of effectivity, with the Aces fourth (35.5%) and Liberty fifth (34.9%). In the event you have a look at share of factors scored from 3-pointers, the Liberty had been second (35.5) and the Aces had been fourth (32.6).
You would hold going with the stats, however the level is, 3-point taking pictures is important for each groups, and will very effectively determine the collection.
That is all the time true to an extent — groups that make extra 3s than their opponent are 4-2 within the playoffs to date — however particularly so in a matchup between two high-volume squads. The potential is there for outlier taking pictures performances in both route, maybe even in the identical recreation.
The brand new faces
For probably the most half, these groups are the identical as they had been once they met within the Finals final season. Similar coaches, identical key gamers, identical kinds of play. The exception to the rule is one essential addition by every membership: Leonie Fiebich and Tiffany Hayes.
Fiebich, who arrived from Chicago through the Marina Mabrey commerce, made her WNBA debut this season. The 24-year-old will not be a traditional rookie, nevertheless, as she had loads of expertise abroad. It did not take her lengthy to determine herself as one of many Liberty’s most essential gamers on account of her dimension and flexibility on the perimeter. Her presence permits the Liberty to modify every part on protection, and on the opposite finish she’s a knockdown shooter who completed seventh within the league in 3-point taking pictures (43.3%).
Hayes is on the alternative finish of the spectrum by way of expertise. In reality, the 35-year-old introduced her retirement from the WNBA on the finish of final season, earlier than making a shock return in the course of the season to signal with the Aces. For a group missing depth, notably within the backcourt, Hayes’ arrival has been an enormous increase. She is a lead candidate for Sixth Participant of the 12 months and infrequently offers a much-needed jolt to vary the power of video games when the Aces are struggling.
Already, we have seen every participant win their group a recreation on this postseason. Fiebich did it in Recreation 1 in opposition to the Dream, when she hit 4 3s and scored a career-high 21 factors. Hayes additionally had an enormous Recreation 1 within the Aces’ matchup with the Storm, and her 20 factors and 5 steals off the bench lit a fireplace beneath the Aces’ lagging offense.
Each will play an essential half on this collection and have an enormous say through which group advances.
Prediction
The Liberty have been one of the best group within the league all season lengthy, however the Aces have lastly began to appear like themselves these days. A month in the past, the Liberty would have been heavy favorites, however now it is nearly a toss-up, with homecourt benefit swinging the percentages barely within the Liberty’s route.
Choosing in opposition to Wilson and the reigning champions is a dangerous proposition, however even together with their current scorching streak, the Aces have by no means absolutely clicked this season for one motive or one other. The Liberty, spurred on by final season’s defeat within the Finals, have been a machine all season lengthy, and their protection does not have as many weak factors because it did the final time these groups met within the playoffs. Decide: Liberty in 5
