The Las Vegas Aces entered the 2024 WNBA season with one goal in mind—to become only the second team in the league to have a 3-peat. With a star-studded roster led by A’ja Wilson, it wasn’t the beginning of their expectations. Though their confidence would return in the second half, New York Liberty is set to fade it. 

Game 1 set the tone with the Liberty pulling off a solid win, 87-77. Breanna Stewart dropped 34 points, making it four consecutive games where she scored 25+ against the Aces. And then, in Game 2, Liberty edged out with an 88-84 win. Sabrina Ionescu was in top form, finishing with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. But it wasn’t just the stats; her late-game free throws were clutch, sealing the win. For the Aces, while Wilson did her best to match Ionescu’s scoring, her pace just didn’t click in time. So now, the Aces find themselves in a do-or-die situation.

Injury Report & Lineup: Aces face injury setbacks as Liberty eye the finals

As we head into Game 3 on Friday, Oct 4, 2024, both teams must be more than ready— the Aces are determined to avoid elimination, while the Liberty are eager to secure their spot in the Finals. For the Liberty, the lineup remains consistent with Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Breanna Stewart, and Laeticia Amihere, and luckily, no new injuries have been reported. 

According to Times Union, the Aces have not reported any injuries either. However, their defensive anchor Kiah Stokes went down late in the third quarter of Game 2 after a tough collision with Jonquel Jones. A potential concussion means she’s benched, and her absence will likely be a significant blow for the previous champions. 

They’ll need Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, and Jacinta Young to step up big-time. What makes the situation worse is that they have already been struggling with defensive communication. The head coach, Becky Hammon, has emphasized the need for more cohesive defense after Game 2. And you can bet that losing Stokes doesn’t make that any easier. 

What have A’ja Wilson & Co. been lacking?

One of the major reasons the Aces are on the brink of elimination is their lack of defense execution. Hammon nailed that communication is a recurring problem, and they need to work on that. Yet the team just hasn’t delivered on that front. In Game 2, they allowed 44 points in the paint.

The Liberty’s offense has averaged 91.7 points per game during the playoffs. Will they manage to get back on their feet? Well, in the 2023 finals, their solid defense got them over the line. But this time, the outlook seems unpredictable at best. Another thing that’s clearly been a problem is the scoring distribution. While A’ja Wilson has been averaging 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in the playoffs, others just haven’t been there consistently. 

And guess what? The Liberty haven’t just been on the offensive end—they’ve also limited the Aces to just 24 points. Libert HC Sandy Brondello’s defense-first approach seems to be paying off. Also, coach Hammon believes that the Aces’ growing celebrity status might be affecting their on-court performance. “My players are in commercials and this and that, being freaking celebrities,” she asserted in a postgame press conference. 

Whatever the reasons were, here we are, and Game 3 could be Aces’ last shot to defend their title. They’ve got all the talent you could ask for. They just need to bring in the executions. 

Because, well, the Liberty aren’t giving them any breathing room. They have already handed the Aces five consecutive losses this season. But let’s not forget all is not lost for the Aces just yet. We’ve seen this team overcome challenges in the past, and with MVP Wilson, you can’t count them out until the final buzzer sounds.