It’s game on in the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals. With a thumping 95-81 victory over the New York Liberty in Game 3, the Las Vegas Aces are back on track for their 3-peat. However, after losing two on the trot at the Barclays Center, it seemed that the defending champs would take an early exit at the hands of their top-seeded rivals in this 2023 Finals rematch. While this seemed like the consensus, ex-Aces star and 3x WNBA champ, Candace Parker, just couldn’t rule them out.

When Parker played for the Aces in 2023, they were a different beast. The Becky Hammon-led team recorded a beyond-impressive 34-6 regular season and swept the Chicago Sky and the Dallas Wings in the playoffs before defeating the Liberty 3-1 in the Finals. But the tables have turned in 2024. The Liberty ended the regular season sitting atop the table with a 32-8 record. They also crushed the Aces 87-77 and 88-84 in the first two semi-final games. Though no team has come back from a 2-0 deficit in WNBA playoffs history, Candace Parker predicted otherwise.

“Even though Vegas didn’t look great throughout the season, they kind of turned it around at the end,” she told host Flau’jae Johnson on the Best of Both Worlds podcast before Game 3. “Obviously, I am partial because I played for them. I thought Vegas was gonna come in and be able to get one (win) in New York just because of their mindset, their skill-set, their ability to play both sides of the ball. They’ve won before, I think, is another layer of things. If anybody could do it and come back from 0-2, it would be Vegas.”

The retired 2x finals MVP (2008 and 2013) also compared the Aces to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. “You look at GSW’s success and what they did during their run of winning championships. They had to win Game 6 at Houston, and then come back and win at home. It’s possible,” she reiterated on the podcast, adding, “If anybody can do it, it’s them (Vegas).”

Parker’s prediction could materialize very quickly if the Aces continue their momentum in Game 4 on Sunday. However, it won’t come that easy despite having the home-court advantage. Though the 7x All-Star admitted to some partiality, she gave the Liberty credit where it was due.

Candace Parker sings the praise of Liberty’s standout performers

In Game 1 at the Barclays Center, 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart with 34 points and Sabrina Ionescu with 21 were the Liberty’s messiahs. Come Game 2, they switched places as Ionescu scored a game-high 24 points and Stewart racked up 15. On the Aces’ front, A’ja Wilson was the only consistent player with 21 points in Game 1 and 24 in Game 2. But the Liberty made sure that the 2024 MVP wasn’t too comfortable by putting a two, sometimes three-woman defense on her.

This resurgence in performance after the tough 2023 Finals loss impressed Candace Parker. Ahead of Game 3, she said, “Golly, Stewie’s (Stewart) just, Stewie is ridiculous! Look at what Sabrina is doing. It feels like their role players are doing great.” The 3x champ also made a special mention for rookie Leonie Fiebich. “Fiebich is 6’3, can stress the floor, they can guard, can switch. New York is doing a really good job of taking Vegas out of the things they like to do,” she added.

However, the Liberty looked like a shadow of their previous self in Game 3. In the third quarter, the Aces scored 16 unanswered points, with the biggest lead going to 25. Avenging the Liberty’s exceptional 44 points in the paint in Game 2, the Aces scored 42 in the paint this game. Jackie Young was the star performer, recording 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, and A’ja Wilson remained consistent with 19 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, and 3 assists. For Candace Parker, watching this game must’ve been a delight. The Aces took one big step in making her prediction come true, and keep the 3-peat dream alive.