“Liberty is a different team this year.” Kelsey Plum knew what they had coming in the 2024 semifinals. But after losing the regular season series 3-0 against the New York Liberty, can the Las Vegas Aces turn it around from here? On one hand, we have the back-to-back WNBA Champions with their quest for a three-peat. On the other, we have the Liberty, ready to avenge themselves for the humiliation in the Championship Finale last season, by coming strong into the playoffs with only a regular season series loss to the Lynx. Nevertheless, while the Aces have failed to live up to the standards they set before, their star center A’ja Wilson believes they have a hidden gem in the roster.

Wilson alongside Kelsey Plum on Saturday reflected on the upcoming high-voltage clash against the Liberty. “Yeah, I mean I have said it plenty of times when it comes to Tiff, she has been our game changer our X factor. She’s brought in tremendous energy, vibes and just dawg mentality. I mean we have a lot of dawgs but when you can add a big dawg it kind of it strengthens the whole kettle. So she’s been that for us,” Columbia native mentioned.

The reigning champions failed to live up to the expectations at the start of the W season this year, as they had an abysmal 6-6 tally in the first 12 matchups. This was particularly disappointing to the fans since this was the total number of matchups in the entire last season. However, bringing in Tiffany Hayes was one of the reasons why the Sin City-based franchise was able to cope with the situation.

“Always just picking us up when we’re down, putting us in a whole another shift in gear is something that we are so proud and happy for it and have her on our team. She’s always been a key factor in a lot of things. I don’t think we are in this situation without her. She’s turned a lot of like tides for us and so yeah it’s been good to see her kind of blossom in this space,” Wilson stated.

Post the Olympics break, she became one of the lead scorers for the squad. Post Olympics, she scored 166 points in the 16 games she played, averaging 10.38 points per game. Her exceptional 21-point performance against the Dallas Wings in the regular season clash can very aptly be called a warmup performance before the elimination series.

Even during game 1 against the Seattle Storm last Sunday, Hayes scored 20 points with 5 steals and was a major reason behind the Aces’ 78-67 win. Overall, the 35-year-old averages 9.5 points with 2.8 rebounds per game, and hence can be the X factor during the game against the Liberty, and might help the Becky Hammon-coached team start their semis on a winning note.

However, if the WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes is to be taken seriously, then the Aces might have a difficult time emerging victorious in this series.

Sheryl Swoopes shares why the Aces might lose

The only team to win the title four times consecutively has been the Houston Comets. One of the main reasons for their historic success was their star, Sheryl Swoopes. The 3× WNBA MVP won her first title in 2000 when she scored an exceptional 20.7 points with 6.3 rebounds per game and propelled the Comets to their fourth and final silverware. Therefore, as is natural, Swoopes doesn’t want the Aces to bag a three-peat for “selfish” reasons. Maybe the Aces will falter if their one player remains in her ‘head.’

“So, the selfish person in me is hoping they don’t. Like we won four in a row, I don’t want anybody else to. I don’t. The realist in me is honestly I don’t know. Yeah, I don’t know I think.. I think New York is playing really well right now. I think Minnesota is playing really well right now…. To me the player that I am a little worried about is Jackie Young. I think Jackie seems to be the player that is in her head for some reason right now. I think New York is a little salty still for what happened last year. And they’re like we ain’t going to let that happen this year,” Swoopes stated previously on ‘Unapologetically Angel’.

When it comes to Jackie Young, she has been a main part of the Aces throughout the season. But the 27-year-old seems to be in her head as per Swoopes during the elimination series against the Seattle Storm. Though is averaging a decent 10.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in the playoffs so far, the Hall of Famer isn’t much impressed with her. And hence, the Aces can falter if Young doesn’t improve her game.

However, the result of Game 1 will be clear in a few hours from now on and hopefully, the Aces’ X factor athlete will perform up to the mark and take them one step closer to the title. On the other, Swoopes’s fans will be wishing that Young takes the team down.