WNBA: Have the New York Liberty cracked the Las Vegas Aces’ code?

The struggles of the No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces during the regular season were widely discussed. However, many viewed them as insignificant challenges for a team with championship aspirations. Fans anticipated that the Aces would display their true abilities in late September. While their first-round sweep of the No. 5-seed Seattle Storm resembled last year’s dominance, losing Game 1 of the semifinals to the No. 1-seed New York Liberty has raised doubts about A’ja Wilson’s squad.

The Liberty is not an ordinary second-round opponent. They are determined to win a title, and possess all the necessary components. Did the Aces underperform in Game 1? Or are they simply outmatched?

Has New York figured out the Aces?

Sunday’s victory was a strong statement by the Liberty, but it was not their first win against Las Vegas since the 2023 Finals. The Liberty has previously swept the Aces in the regular season, holding a 4-0 record against them this year. This suggests that the Aces have fallen behind their rivals.

An interesting observation from Sunday’s game was head coach Becky Hammon’s decision to play small. The Aces typically rotate center positions between Kiah Stokes and Megan Gustafson to allow A’ja Wilson to play the power forward. However, in Sunday’s game, Stokes played only 12 minutes, ranking seventh on the team, and Gustafson did not see any playing time. While playing Wilson at center improves offensive spacing, it creates defensive mismatches. Without Stokes or Gustafson, Wilson had to defend Jonquel Jones, leaving a Vegas guard to cover the 6-foot-4 Breanna Stewart.

Stewart’s physical advantages go beyond her height. She boasts a 7-foot-2 wingspan, longer than the wingspans of NBA players like Jayson Tatum and LeBron James, and close to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s. Chelsea Gray, who guarded Stewart, was at a height and reach disadvantage. Stewart scored 20 points in the first half and finished with 34. Hammon may need to reconsider the small-ball strategy.

While adding size could help, the Aces have other issues to address. They never held a lead in Sunday’s game, and the Liberty’s lead almost reached 20 points in the third quarter. New York shot 58.6 percent from the field, while the Aces shot only 42.4 percent. Wilson’s 21 points were below her usual standards. Both teams heavily relied on their key players, but this is likely to change as the series progresses. Stewart, Jones, and Ionescu took 73.3 percent of the shot attempts for New York, while Wilson, Plum, and Young took 73.1 percent for the Aces.

The Aces do not need to panic yet, but solely focusing on overcoming the Liberty’s “Big 3” may not be a sustainable strategy for victory. They must find a new approach in Game 2 to unsettle New York. While Wilson should not be underestimated, returning to Vegas with a 0-2 deficit will be a tough challenge, even for a unanimous MVP.

Game information

No. 1-seed New York Liberty (1-0) vs. No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces (0-1)

When: Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY

How to watch: ESPN2

Liberty injury report: none

Aces injury report: none