In the matchup that everyone had been waiting for, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces came out strong and started off the 2023 WNBA Finals with a 99-82 victory over the New York Liberty in Game 1. Many are anticipating the Aces to come away with the title in a competitive series between the league’s best teams.
Going into Game 2 (9 p.m. ET; ESPN) with the home court advantage, the Aces have all the pieces needed to come away with another convincing victory. But they have to approach it as a must-win—as if THIS is the deciding game of the series.
If Vegas is victorious, their chances of repeating as champions only increases as New York will be on their heels. If the Aces lose, then the momentum switches back to the Liberty, with the series moving to Brooklyn for two games.
In other words, it is make or break time.
The Vegas stars must shine again
The Aces will need to utilize their experienced star power over their opponents’ equally-talented, but less experienced, star power.
In Game 1, the trifecta of A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young was terrific. Wilson scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and notched three blocks. Plum dropped 26 points and had five rebounds of her own. Young came away with 26 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three…
