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WNBA Finals Game 1 recap: Las Vegas Aces near title repeat with win over New York Liberty – USA TODAY
The Las Vegas Aces are on track for back-to-back titles after they won Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday, beating the New York Liberty, 99-82, at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas
The defending champions had as big a lead as 22 after they scrapped back from a slow first half to put on a show in front of Sheryl Swoopes, LeBron James and Tom Brady.
Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young each had a career-playoff high 26 points. Chelsea Gray had nine assists on her birthday.
“I have the best teammates in the world,” Plum said postgame on the ESPN broadcast, “so whatever I gotta do to just get open, Chelsea’s gonna find me. Jack was phenomenal tonight. It was just a great team win.”
The Aces are undefeated in the playoffs and the sixth team in WNBA history to win their first six games of the postseason.
Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 21 points and nine rebounds. Marine Johannès added 14 points off the bench, including four three-point buckets.
“I’m just a huge fan, other than when she’s playing us,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said of Johannès after the game.
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Las Vegas pulled away in the second half after being down 49-46 at halftime. They faced an eight-point deficit in the second quarter after Kayla Thornton scored a three-point shot with one of six assists from Courtney Vandersloot. The Aces went on a 9-0 run between the third and fourth quarters to secure the lead.
“They took the first punch and now we have to respond,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said.
The Las Vegas Aces came alive in the second half, led by guards Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, who each had 26 points.
Plum had nine points in the last five minutes of the second quarter to give her team momentum heading into the break.
For the New York Liberty, Marine Johannès had 14 points off the bench in the first half, including four three-point buckets.
A’ja Wilson scored the first points of the game and finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Courtney Vandersloot had a historic day. Her six assists moved her past Lindsay Whalen for second in league history in playoff assists. Her 10 points also gave her 500 career playoff points.
Game 2 of the WNBA Finals will tip off at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.
