What happened in Vegas? Liberty crushed by Aces in Finals Game 2
The Liberty got embarrassed in a one-sided contest and are now on the brink of elimination after dropping another WNBA Finals game.
Jonquel Jones was the lone Liberty player to even make an impact in the awful 104-76 loss in Game 2 against the Aces in Las Vegas. The star center finished with a statline of 22 points,
10 rebounds and four blocks. Without her, the Liberty would’ve lost by 40.
The player that finished third on the MVP ballot, Aces star A’ja Wilson, played like the actual MVP in Game 2 — and in the entire series so far. She scored a gamehigh 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. The 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart, recorded another subpar game for the Liberty, missing 11 of her 17 attempts while scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 boards.
Wilson was almost automatic in the mid range and made 10 of her 16 attempts in Game 2. Las Vegas’ guard trio — Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum — outplayed the Liberty’s guards once again. Young and Plum contributed 24 and 23 points, respectively. Gray had 14 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.
The start of the game was ugly. Fans in Las Vegas probably thought Game 2 was over just after it got underway.
The Liberty were down 38-19, after the first quarter. The home team led by as many as 21 points in the opening period after showcasing unbelievable shotmaking. Vegas shot 70% from the floor in the first quarter. New York recorded a measly 30%. The Aces started the game hitting six of ten treys, including made three-pointers from bigs Wilson and Kiah Stokes, who shot 31% and 19%, respectively, this season.
Wilson already had 12 points and four rebounds after the first. Stokes, who averaged two points this season, had scored five in the opening period.
Wilson is playing with a vengeance after getting snubbed for her third MVP award. With four minutes remaining in the second, she fooled Stewart with a sweet shot fake and scored after using a step-through to get to the rim. The move electrified the Michelob Ultra Arena and put the Aces up 18.
But Jones single-handedly brought her team back within eight at halftime after scoring 16 points and grabbing eight boards in the second quarter alone. She kept her aggression despite playing with the two personal fouls she picked up in the first quarter.
She spearheaded an 11-0 run and attempted to save the season for the Liberty. The 14 second-half points in the first half — mostly from Jones’ offensive boards — got the team back into the game.
But the lead quickly ballooned back to 16 to start the third after eight unanswered points, including six from Young. The Liberty’s deficit surpassed 20 again after failing to ride the momentum Jones created.
The Aces cruised the rest of the way as the Liberty starters — other than Jones — failed to make a difference. Betnijah Laney was been superb this postseason, but couldn’t get going in Game 2. She shot 4-of15 and recorded 12 points and five assists. Courtney Vandersloot didn’t record a field goal until the fourth quarter. The veteran guard scored nine points and recorded fours rebounds and assists apiece.
Sabrina Ionescu was also a non-factor and couldn’t get her shots to fall. The sharpshooter was 2-for10 and finished with 10 points.