The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces are a loss away from elimination after dropping Game 2 88-84 to the New York Liberty on Tuesday at Barclays Center. No WNBA team has ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five series, and no defending champion has ever been in this position.
The matchup is a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals, which the Aces won 3-1. Since a championship-sealing 70-69 Game 4 victory in Brooklyn last season, Las Vegas has lost five consecutive games against New York. The losing streak ties the franchise record for consecutive losses against the same opponent.
On the other side of the ball, the Liberty’s five consecutive wins over the Aces are a franchise single-season record against an opponent.
The top-seeded Liberty have never won a WNBA championship, but they have been to the WNBA Finals five times. WNBA teams are 18-0 in playoff history when leading 2-0 in a best-of-5 series.
The WNBA playoffs continue Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) as the semifinal series shift to Las Vegas and Connecticut.
ESPN looks at how the Liberty won Game 2.
Liberty lead best-of-five series 2-0
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Sabrina Ionescu’s jumper gives Liberty late lead
Sabrina Ionescu hits a tough jump shot to put the Liberty ahead late in the…
