LAS VEGAS — Coach Becky Hammon said her Las Vegas Aces gave themselves a “D” grade for how they played in the first half of Sunday’s Game 1 WNBA Finals matchup with the New York Liberty. Hammon thought that might have been a bit harsh. The Aces were down only three points at halftime. She gave them a C-minus.
But when the Aces came out of the locker room, they turned things around into an A by Hammon’s standards.
Las Vegas outscored New York by 20 points across the final 20 minutes, at one point extending its lead to as many as 22 points, for a 99-82 victory to go up 1-0 in the best-of-five series against the Liberty.
New York, which is seeking its first WNBA title and playing in its first Finals since 2002, will try to even the series Wednesday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App).
How did the Aces turn it around? Let’s take a look at what went right for the Aces, who are looking to become the league’s first repeat champions since 2001-02, and what the Liberty need to improve in Game…