Aces top Sun, claim 1st title
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Chelsea Gray scored 20 points to lead the Aces to their first WNBA title in a 78-71 road win over the Sun in Game 4 on Sunday.
Gray went 9 of 13 from the floor, and was named MVP after averaging 18 points over the run. The Aces improved to 4-0 in this year’s playoffs with two days rest.
Riquna Williams added 17 points, Kelsey Plum scored 16 points for the top-seeded Aces, Jackie Young had 13 and league MVP A’ja Wilson added 11 points to go with 14 rebounds.
The Aces finished on an 8-0 run. As the buzzer sounded Wilson 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.
It’s the first major pro sports title for a team from Las Vegas, and Wilson surely hopes this is just the beginning.
“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 the thirdseeded Sun, 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.
The Aces led by two points at the half and four points after three quarters.
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 NBA’s Spurs to take over in Las Vegas, and 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,” Hammon said.
Aces owner Mark Davis, who also owns the NFL’s 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 Sun took a 71-70 lead in the fourth on two fouls shots from Brionna Jones.
But the Aces had the answers.
Riquna Williams’ 3 put the Aces back on top and Chelsea Gray’s step-back jumper extended the lead to 75-71 with under a minute left. Wilson then stole a pass and Plum hit a short jump shot.
Gray — who overcame some serious injuries that threatened to sidetrack her career in the past — was WNBA Finals MVP after averaging 18.3 points and six assists in the series.
“My teammates are awesome,” Gray said as she broke into tears. “I worked so hard for this.”