Aces stun Storm in overtime win
Jackie Young sent the game into overtime with a buzzer-beating basket and then Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum hit big shots in the extra session to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Seattle Storm 110-98 on Sunday at Seattle, moving to within a victory of advancing to the WNBA Finals.
Las Vegas took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series after some wild final moments of regulation and a dominant performance in overtime.
“That was a hell of a game. I don’t know if I’ve ever been a part of something like that,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said.
Gray had been quiet in the fourth quarter but scored eight of her 29 points in overtime, including a pair of three-pointers that silenced Storm fans who had been roaring when it appeared Seattle was on the cusp of winning.
“That’s what playoff basketball is all about. It felt good,” Gray said.
Seattle led 92-90 with eight-tenths of a second left in regulation after Sue Bird hit a corner three. It was a storybook moment in adding another highlight in Bird’s final season.
But on the ensuing inbound play, Young got free on a switch and scored in the lane ahead of the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Chicago 76, at Connecticut 72: Candace Parker had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Kahleah Copper added 15 points and the Sky beat the Sun.
Defending champion Chicago leads the best-offive series 2-1 and can advance to the Finals with a win Tuesday night.
After a missed layup by Chicago, DeWanna Bonner was fouled with 22 seconds left and made both free throws to get the Sky to within 72-70.
Parker restored a fourpoint lead by making two free throws with 15.2 seconds left. Bonner then missed a three-pointer from the wing and Courtney Vandersloot made two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to seal it.