Is the Aces’ three-peat dream slipping away? A’ja Wilson and Co. have been plagued by the same opponent all season, with the New York Liberty handing them five consecutive losses. Now, with yet another setback in Game 2 of the semifinals, the pressure is on. Becky Hammon’s concerns are mounting, as it’s now do-or-die for the Las Vegas Aces in their quest for another title.

What’s even more worrisome is that A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ key player, hasn’t been performing to her best standard against the Liberty. Despite shining against other teams throughout the season, she’s yet to reach the level of dominance in these matchups that she’s shown against every other franchise. The stats tell the story, reflecting the reigning MVP’s less commanding performance against Sandy Brondello’s squad.

Aces struggle at Barclays Center as A’ja Wilson still not hitting her peak

The Aces found themselves on the losing end once again at Barclays Center, falling 88-84 to the Liberty. Although A’ja Wilson and her rival, Sabrina Ionescu, both posted the highest individual scores of 24, that statistic doesn’t tell the complete story. While Ionescu’s performance is a noticeable step up from her regular-season average of 18.6 points per game, Wilson has seen a slight decline, dropping from her impressive average of 26.9 points during the regular season.

On top of that, A’ja Wilson struggled in areas where she usually excels. She managed just 7 rebounds and didn’t record a single block—far from her regular-season averages of 11.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. These are typically Wilson’s strong points, but in this game, they were noticeably lacking, adding to the Aces’ woes.

By the end of the first half, A’ja Wilson had only taken 4 field goal attempts, managing to score just six points along with one missed shot. However, it was in the final quarter that the 3x MVP finally stepped up, launching 9 shots and successfully sinking six of them.

At the free-throw line, Wilson converted only two of her four attempts, finishing with 50% from the line. The Aces ended the game with 12 successful free throws, while their opponents capitalized on their chances, missing only three. This disparity at the line added to the Aces’ tough night. However, there was a silver lining for Wilson; despite not reaching her full potential, she performed better than she did in Game 1, which is a positive takeaway as they move forward.

A’ja Wilson’s performance taking a dip against Liberty

The Game 1 at Barclays Center saw Kelsey Plum leading the Aces in scoring as she finished with 24 points. Her teammate, Wilson, was second to her with 21 points on the tally. The 2x WNBA champion’s performance on the boards wasn’t impressive as she managed to grab just 6 rebounds. This marked Wilson’s third game against the Liberty this season, and once again, she found herself trying to break the 25-point barrier—a feat she’s achieved in every other matchup where she’s played at least three games.

After tonight’s game, A’ja Wilson’s playoff totals now stand at 45 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Across the four matchups this season against Breanna Stewart and Co., she has tallied 90 points, 33 rebounds, and 8 blocks. However, a pressing concern is her performance on the boards, which has noticeably declined. Stewart previously highlighted that the Liberty’s key strategy against the Aces has been to out-rebound them. This season, Wilson has averaged just 8.3 rebounds per game against the Liberty.

If the Aces hope to continue their quest for a three-peat, the 2023 Finals MVP needs to channel the energy she had during last year’s finals against the Liberty, where she scored a total of 85 points and recorded three impressive double-doubles. With Game 3 on the horizon, it’ll be intriguing to see how the matchup plays out. Will the Liberty exact their revenge, or can Becky Hammon’s squad keep the three-peat dream alive?