WNBA Finals: The Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun 78-71 in Game 4 to win their first WNBA championship. Chelsea Gray led the way with 20 points.
Gray averaged 18 points during the stretch and was named MVP after going 9 of 13 from the field. With two days of recuperation, the Aces increased their playoff record to 4-0.
For the Aces, Jackie Young scored 13 points, Riquna Williams added 17, Kelsey Plum scored 16, A’ja Wilson, the league MVP, scored 11 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.
Vegas had an 8-0 run to the end. Wilson seized the ball as the buzzer sounded and stomped the ground before being surrounded by her teammates. Wilson hopes that this is just the beginning for his Las Vegas squad, which has won its first significant professional sports championship.
“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.”
Alyssa Thomas recorded her second straight triple-double with 11 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. Courtney Williams led Connecticut with 17 points. DeWanna Bonner scored 12 points, and Jonquel Jones added 13 more. At the break and after three quarters, Las Vegas had a four-point advantage.
The ring satisfied a lifelong goal for Aces coach Becky Hammon, who was a successful WNBA player but never won a championship. She took over in Las Vegas after leaving an assistant coaching post with Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs, and the decision 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 honour 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.
Mark Davis, the owner of the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL, was absent from his football team on Sunday. He was there to pick up a trophy. He raised it, and then handed it to the jubilant players who repeated the action.
During the fourth quarter, the Sun guard Bonner was shooting a three-pointer when Plum raced into her, knocking her to the ground holding her right ankle, and was then assessed a flagrant foul.
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