The Las Vegas Aces moved a step closer to their third championship in four years as they overwhelmed the Phoenix Mercury 91-78 on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven WNBA finals.
Jackie Young led the way for the Aces with 32 points, 21 of which came in a scintillating third quarter surge. Young, who tied a career playoff high in total points, fell just short of the league record of 22 points for any postseason quarter. Reigning MVP A’ja Wilson was typically brilliant as she recorded a double-double with 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Quick Guide
WNBA finals 2025
Show
Schedule
Best-of-seven series. All times Eastern.
Fri 3 Oct Game 1: Las Vegas 89, Phoenix 86
Sun 5 Oct Game 2: Las Vegas 91, Phoenix 78
Wed 8 Oct Game 3: Las Vegas at Phoenix, 8pm (ESPN)
Fri 10 Oct Game 4: Las Vegas at Phoenix, 8pm (ESPN)
Sun 12 Oct Game 5: Phoenix at Las Vegas, 3pm (ABC)*
Wed 15 Oct Game 6: Las Vegas at Phoenix, 8pm (ESPN)*
Fri 17 Oct Game 7: Phoenix at Las Vegas, 8pm (ESPN)*
*if necessary
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After a 3-of-13 performance from the field in Game 1, which Young attributed to fatigue, the All-Star guard promised coach Becky Hammon that she’d have her legs back for Game 2.
“[Young] is a player that never wants to come out of the game,” Hammon said. “So, when she tells me she doesn’t have any legs and she pulls herself out basically, I know she’s hurting and doesn’t have anything left in the tank. Yesterday, I asked her how she felt and she said ‘Good, I’ll have my legs tomorrow,’ and that was pretty much it. I believed her.”
While there are certainly more forward-facing stars in the league, Young has quietly become perhaps the most consistent guard in an era of women’s basketball where backcourt positions are being played at the highest level in league history.
“It’s a joy (playing with Young),” Wilson said. “Take the numbers away, I’m just so proud of her. Honestly, like she’s a perfectionist, and when you see someone that works so hard every single day and then you get to see the hard work paying off, it’s a beautiful thing to witness.
“I’m so grateful just to be her teammate, to come to work with her every single day. I’m a pain in the ass sometimes when she’s not doing her job, because I know that it’s there. I know that Jackie Young’s there. So I try every single day to bring it out of her. To be able to witness it and live it has been a lot of fun.”
Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 23 points, Satou Sabally scored 22 and Alyssa Thomas had 10 while coping with foul trouble much of the game.
As had been the case in Game 1 when they began with a 10-2 lead, the Mercury came out strong, scoring the first seven points. Phoenix wound up with 27 points in the first quarter, but then the Aces held the Mercury to a combined 24 points over the following two periods. By that point, the Aces had taken charge, leading 76-51 going into the fourth and eventually going up by as much as 22 points.
Any team facing Aces coach Becky Hammon in a Game 2 in Las Vegas is asking for trouble. She ran her record to 9-0 with this victory, the average margin being more than 17 points.
Game 3 is Wednesday in Phoenix, where the Aces hope to put a stranglehold on the series as they chase their third title in four years. The Mercury have the tall task of needing to win four of five games to capture their fourth championship, which would tie the WNBA record.
“We’re excited to go play in our home arena,” Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts said. “Vegas did what they’re supposed to do. I think we played a really good Game 1, and they came out and were ready today.”
