Sabrina Ionescu looked like her vintage self against the Seattle Storm, catching fire in the first half and finishing with 22 points, 6 assists, and 9 rebounds. But even her standout performance couldn’t lift a struggling Liberty squad, which blew a halftime lead and came up short in the fourth quarter, marking their 5th loss in the last 7 games. New York’s ongoing defensive struggles are well documented, and they’ll face another tough challenge against a Las Vegas Aces team that has also fallen short of expectations, but has the fire under their belly to right the previous wrongs. Despite a recent win over the 2-16 Connecticut Sun, the Aces are stuck at an even 9-9 record. And Vegas isn’t a team to be relieved with a 0.500 record.
After winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, Vegas missed out on a record three-peat as the Liberty snatched the title from them in 2024. So, Vegas will be all up for it, even though they have gone through some rough patches this season, including a stretch where they lost 5 out of 6 games. Head coach Becky Hammon was visibly frustrated after their recent loss to the Indiana Fever, calling out her team’s lack of urgency.
“That’s a complete lack of professionalism to come here with that effort,” Hammon said after her team was outshot by a Caitlin Clark-less Fever side. “I don’t know how you step onto the floor with 20,000 people in the stands and perform like that. It is the worst offensive night I’ve ever seen (since) I’ve been here in the last four years.”
Both teams are having a tough time this season, but these are champion sides. But as these Titans face off, do they have all the tools going into this all-important game? Let’s find out.
LV Aces Vs NY Liberty: Injury Report
Injuries have hit the Liberty hard. Jonquel Jones, arguably the best center in the league, has only played 9 games and is still out with an ankle injury. Her return is slated after the All-Star break. Along with her, Natasha Cloud and Isabelle Harrison remain doubtful as they are listed as game-time decisions. Cloud is expected to take part in the upcoming game. Megan Gustafson remains out with a lower leg injury for the Aces, while Cheyenne Parker Tyus is still missing because of a pregnancy. Her return is still not known, but she has professed the desire to before the end of this season.
LV Aces Vs NY Liberty: Predicted Lineups
New York Liberty
Breanna Stewart
Kennedy Burke
Leonie Fiebich
Natasha Cloud
Sabrina Ionescu
Las Vegas Aces
NaLyssa Smith
A’ja Wilson
Chelsea Gray
Jewell Loyd
Jackie Young
LV Aces Vs NY Liberty: Match Preview
A’ja Wilson has been the star performer for the Aces. Again. The three-time WNBA MVP leads the league in blocks with 2.6 per game and ranks second in scoring at 21.9 per game and second in rebounds at 9.0 per game. Wilson was the same last year but with even better numbers, leading the Aces to a semi-final spot, which many think they did not deserve. While they did win their last game against the Suns, but…well they are the Suns after all; everyone wins against them. Their away has also been a cause for concern this season, with a 4-5 record, not exactly screaming championship. And the last time these two sides came up against each other, it was a night to forget for the Aces.
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) reacts after missing a jump shot in the fourth quarter during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Breanna Stewart scored 25 points and Natasha Cloud added 22 to help the Liberty to a 92-78 victory over the Aces in the opening game of the season. Not much has changed for the Aces since then, as they have been pretty inconsistent throughout the season. Wilson and Jackie Young, who were the top performers for the Aces on that fateful opening night, have largely been the only bright spots for the side from Nevada this season.
During any other time in the season, the Liberty would have had a field day against this Vegas team. But their recent struggles have shown that they are not as unbeatable as we thought they would be initially. The compact defense they had at the start of the season if suddenly leaking points left, right, and center. For context, they conceded 85.9 points per game in their previous 10 outings, which is six more than their season average.
Despite this recent dip in form, ESPN’s win predictor gives the Liberty a whopping 73.0 % chance. The fast-paced offense of the Liberty has the potential to run over any side in the league, much less an inconsistent team such as Vegas. However, let’s not completely count them out just yet. A’ja Wilson has proved time and again that she has the potential to single-handedly win games for the Aces. But will be able to do that against the Liberty? Only time will tell.
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