WNBA Playoff Preview: Aces vs Sun - Game 3 - 9/24/2020

Photo Credit: Bleacher Report

WNBA Playoff Preview: Aces vs Sun – Game 3 – 9/24/2020

#1 Las Vegas Aces (18-4) | #7 Connecticut Sun (10-12)

The Aces and A’ja Wilson look to build off the game 2 win and take a series lead.

The Las Vegas Aces followed up a disappointing game one performance with a hard-fought victory in game two by a score of 83 to 75.

The Connecticut Sun will most likely be without forward Alyssa Thomas, who injured her shoulder early in game two and was seen later on in an arm sling. Thomas has averaged 16 points in the playoffs.

“She (Wilson) kept us in the game the whole way, then won the game down the stretch,” Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said. “That’s what leaders do, that’s what MVPs do. That’s what All-Stars and Olympians [do] and, yeah, we’ve got one. And she made the plays.”

No team has ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in the history of the WNBA. The Aces avoided that with distinction with a strong 4th quarter.

Even after the Sun lost Alyssa Thomas, they stayed in it as they tied game two with a minute left in the 4th quarter. However, A’ja Wilson took over as the Aces’ strong 4th quarter was enough to even up the series. Las Vegas outscored Connecticut by a score of 24 to 12 in the 4th quarter.

A’ja Wilson said her team needed to improve their defense after the game one loss, and Las Vegas went on to force 17 turnovers, including 6 in the 4th quarter. She had this to say about the defense after game 2.

“Defense won this game for us; it was no and-ones; it was just defense, defense, defense, DEFENSE. I said it before, when they say defense wins games, it is so real. When you get stops and can string them together, the offense just flows… for us. We just knew we had to come out and play great defense.”

A’ja Wilson had a monster game herself, tying her career-high in blocks with seven as she and the rest of the Aces team will do their best to carry that same defensive mindset into game 3.

The Aces are confident that having the best player in the series gives them the advantage for the rest of the series

WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson has put up eye-popping numbers all season, and Game 2 was no different as she scored 29 points with seven rebounds and seven blocks. Teammate Danielle Robinson had this to say about Wilson,

“She makes big-time plays. I’m just honored to be her teammate at this point; the stuff she does, you’re in awe. Two or three people, it doesn’t matter. She is so skillful, just a beast. Like I said I’m just proud to be on her team, honored to be her teammate and looking forward to continuing this journey with her.”

The Sun will most likely be without Alyssa Thomas and will be relying on players such as DeWanna Bonner, who had 23 points in game two, and Jasmine Thomas, who was quiet in game two coming off her career-high 31 points in game 1. For the Aces, playing tough defense and getting to the free-throw line will be critical as they outshot the Sun 28 to 7 from the free-throw line.

Both teams will look to take a 2-1 series lead and be a win away from a trip to the WNBA Finals.