The Las Vegas Aces are champions again — and not by accident. With a dominant four-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury, they’ve clinched their third title in four seasons, sealing a legacy few in women’s basketball have matched.
The Clincher: Game 4 Highlights
On Friday night, the Aces closed the series with authority, defeating Phoenix 97-86 on the road to seal the sweep. A’ja Wilson led the charge with 31 points and 9 rebounds, earning her second Finals MVP award.
What made that stat line even more impressive: she shot just 7 of 21 from the field, but went 17 of 19 at the free-throw line and asserted control on both sides of the court. Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young each dropped 18, combining for a bulk of the Aces’ outside threats. Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans also made key contributions off the bench.
From the tip, Las Vegas took command: shooting efficiently in the first quarter, limiting turnovers, and never letting Phoenix fully get back in. Despite a late Mercury push, the Aces held firm.
A Season of Two Halves: Resilience & Reinvention
This year’s title wasn’t a foregone conclusion. The Aces stumbled through a rough midseason stretch, including an infamous 53-point blowout loss at home to Minnesota. At one point around early August, they sat at 14-14 and risked missing the playoffs altogether.
That’s when the turnaround began. Las Vegas went on a 16-game winning streak to close out the regular season. They flipped their defense from a weak point into one of their strongest assets, and Wilson raised the ceiling of what the team could do.
In the playoffs, they first handled the Seattle Storm in a tight three-game series, including a 74-73 win in the decider. Then they faced the Indiana Fever in the semis, a tougher test. Indiana stole Game 1 behind Kelsey Mitchell’s 34 points, but Las Vegas adjusted and closed the series in five. In a wild Game 5, they outscored Indiana in overtime to punch their ticket to the Finals.
Through it all, Wilson stood tall. She not only captured Finals MVP, but also made history earlier this season as the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win the scoring title, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP all in the same season.
The Supporting Cast & Coaching
Of course, a dynasty is never built on one player alone. The Aces’ depth paid dividends. Gray and Young provided reliable perimeter scoring and leadership, while Loyd and Evans delivered major bursts off the bench. The ability to pour in double figures from multiple sources made them hard to scheme against.
Coach Becky Hammon has also evolved remarkably. Her adjustments in the semis, rotations in the Finals, and defensive tweaks were key to navigating adversity. She’s now a three-time champion (2022, 2023, 2025) entering her eighth season.
Beyond the Championship: What It Means for the WNBA
- Dynasty confirmed: Three titles in four seasons already sets the Aces among the greats. The narrative is increasingly about not just winning, but sustaining dominance.
- Raising the bar: Other franchises must respond — more investment, better depth, sharper strategy — because the margin for error is shrinking.
- Cultural impact: Stars like Wilson, and the visibility of women’s basketball, gain momentum with every big moment.
- Future questions: Can Las Vegas keep this core intact? Injuries, contracts, challengers (Minnesota, New York, other upstarts) will all be part of the equation.
What to Watch in 2026 & Beyond
- Will the Aces be able to reload without losing identity?
- Who emerges as the primary challengers — Liberty? Lynx? A surprise underdog?
- How will the league react: expansion, scheduling, marketing shifts?
- The evolution of Wilson: can she sustain this level?
Final Thought
In a league where parity is often the norm, Las Vegas has found the formula to break through. This championship is more than a trophy it’s a statement: the Aces aren’t just contenders they’re defining an era.
