After two games in the best-of-five 2024 WNBA semifinals, the defending champion Aces are facing elimination as the Lynx tied the series last night.
Heading into Game 3 on Friday with a change of venue, Las Vegas will need their home-court advantage to stay alive in the playoffs, while Minnesota will aim to quiet the Connecticut crowd.
Aces in danger after Game 2 defeat
With a second consecutive loss on Tuesday, an 88-84 defeat to the Liberty, Las Vegas is on the brink of playoff elimination. The Aces are the first reigning champions to fall behind 0-2 in a WNBA series.
Las Vegas has struggled against the Liberty this season, losing five straight games to them after defeating them in the 2023 WNBA Finals.
New York’s Sabrina Ionescu and Las Vegas’s A’ja Wilson led their teams with 24 points each, while Courtney Vandersloot provided a spark off the bench for the Liberty.
If Las Vegas can turn things around on Friday in Nevada, they would be the first team to come back from an 0-2 deficit to reach the WNBA Finals.
Aces guard Chelsea Gray has a positive outlook on the challenge, stating “I love being in the history books, so might as well try to start there. That’s going to be our mentality.”
Lynx even series with Game 2 win
Minnesota leveled the series with Connecticut on Tuesday with a 77-70 victory in Minneapolis, tying the series at one win each.
Courtney Williams led the Lynx with 17 points, and their defense held the Sun to less than 40% shooting from the field.
Despite the loss, DeWanna Bonner of the Sun became the third all-time leading scorer in WNBA postseason history and the player with the most playoff appearances at 83 games and counting.
Friday will begin a two-game run in Connecticut, with the Sun looking to reach the Finals for the first time since 2022.
How to watch Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals
Both Las Vegas and Minnesota will fight for crucial wins in Game 3 on Friday, with the Aces needing a victory in front of their home crowd.
The Lynx will play in Connecticut at 7:30 PM ET on Friday, October 4th, followed by a game between the Liberty and Aces in Las Vegas at 9:30 PM ET. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN2.
