The Las Vegas Aces are headed to the WNBA Playoff semifinals after routing the Phoenix Mercury in Game 2 of their first round series, 117-80, to secure a 2-0 series win.
While the first game was competitive for the majority before Vegas pulled away late, it took far less time for the Aces to assert their dominance in Game 2. The shorthanded Mercury, who lost Shey Peddy in Game 1 on top of the absences of Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith, hung tough for a quarter in Game 2 but simply didn’t have the firepower to keep up with a sensational offensive performance from the Aces.
Las Vegas bombed away from three early and often, going an outrageous 23-of-36 (63.9 percent) from distance in the game, setting a WNBA record for made threes in a playoff game. The Aces were led by Chelsea Gray’s 7-of-8 effort from three-point range — Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Kierstan Bell, and Riquna Williams all made at least three 3-pointers in the game as well — on her way to a game-high 27 points (alongside eight assists). Gray put on a clinic in the closeout game, showing off the full compliments of her game on Saturday night, with vicious handles, ridiculous passes, and plenty of buckets from deep.
.@cgray209 STOP PLAYINNN ALL THE TIME
The handles sooo nasty
ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/9b7GT2PzQh
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 21, 2022
"Only @cgray209 can deliver a dime like that"
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 21, 2022
Go ahead and take a bow, @cgray209!#POINTGAWDDDDD // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/Pn8Teu8F0T
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 21, 2022
The BANK IS OPENNNNN
@cgray209
Gray has hit a season-high 7 made triples
pic.twitter.com/uWMcayDp7Q
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 21, 2022
Joining Gray in having a 20-plus point night was Plum, who was 6-of-10 from the floor on her way to an efficient 22-point effort, splashing in four threes of her own.
Don't let her get hot
@Kelseyplum10 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/AMQyHsAjR0
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 21, 2022
A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young were likewise lethal in their efficiency, as Young was a perfect 3-for-3 from deep as she went for 15 points, while Wilson did a bit of everything with 17 points (on 7-of-9 shooting), six assists, and four rebounds.
Go to work A!
@_ajawilson22 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/uInoWJ3t0l
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 21, 2022
Rise on em'
@_ajawilson22 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/xEmoC0Byzh
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 21, 2022
JACKI333
@JackieYoung3 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/J6Di2McV0P
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 21, 2022
It was the Aces at their absolute best, bombing away from three, attacking the paint, and playing stifling defense. For Phoenix, Diamond DeShields (21 points) and Kaela Davis (23 points) did their best to keep them in touch, but they simply lacked the depth and scoring power up and down the roster to match the Aces in a game where seemingly everyone on the Vegas roster had their A-game. There aren’t many teams (if any) that could keep up with Vegas on a night like this, and it’s a reminder of why the Aces are the favorites to win it all, because like A’ja Wilson says, when they get out of their own way and let it rip, they are terrifying as they showed in this one.
The Aces now await the winner of the Storm-Mystics series that saw Seattle take a 1-0 lead in thrilling fashion on Thursday night, with either of those teams creating a sensational semifinal matchup.
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