The three-peat mission seems more distant than ever! The New York Liberty has been a thorn for Las Vegas Aces all season, and they’ve done it again, handing A’ja Wilson and Co. their fifth straight loss this year in a tough Game 2 of the semi-final showdown. However, before the series tipped off, there were plenty of bold predictions, including some from WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes. Yet, as the dust settles on these two games, it’s clear those predictions are quickly losing their relevance.

Even though Game 2 ended in yet another defeat for the Aces against the New York Liberty, there were some standout performances worth noting. One of the highlights came from guard Jackie Young, who scored 17 points long with 6 rebounds and two blocks. She stepped up significantly and was the second-highest scorer in Game 2, following only A’ja Wilson. Unfortunately, her efforts weren’t enough to secure a win in either game—definitely not what the Houston Comets star would have anticipated given her earlier predictions.

Just before the semifinals kicked off, Sheryl Swoopes dropped a new episode of her podcast, sharing insights on what will be crucial for teams aiming to reach the finals. When it came to the Aces, she emphasized the importance of Jackie Young’s performance, stating, “Las Vegas advances if Jackie Young shows up.”

But, Swoopes predictions hasn’t been the reality so far, as Jackie Young has racked up 34 points against the Liberty in just two playoff games and that had made no difference to the Aces losing the game. This impressive tally surpasses the 32 points she scored against the same team in their three regular-season matchups. In addition to her scoring, Young has also contributed with 8 rebounds and 5 assists in the series.

The narrative reveals that Jackie Young hasn’t quite been the game-changer for the Aces as Sheryl Swoopes had anticipated. But that’s not the only prediction that hasn’t panned out for Swoopes; she also made a surprising assertion about a player she believed would be pivotal for the Liberty’s success.

All of Sheryl Swoopes’ prophecy is missing the target until now

During the same podcast episode where Sheryl Swoopes discussed Jackie Young’s potential impact, co-host Jordan Robinson raised a thought-provoking question about the Liberty’s win-or-lose scenario. In response, Swoopes shared an interesting viewpoint, emphasizing that New York’s chances of advancing depend significantly on center Jonquel Jones stepping up and delivering a truly dominant performance.

Kicking off the conversation, the 4x WNBA champion recognized the importance of performances from players like Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. However, she added an intriguing twist, declaring, “I think Jonquel Jones could be the difference-maker in this series.” Given that Jones was the top scorer against the Aces during the regular season, her statement certainly carried some weight. However, as the first two games of the series unfolded, it became clear that this prediction also missed the mark.

Jonquel Jones has tallied just 27 points in the first two games of the semifinals, bringing her average down to 13.5 points per game. This is a significant drop from her regular-season average of 19.7 points. Meanwhile, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu have been lighting it up, leading the way with 49 and 45 points, respectively. Despite of Jones not in her true form against Aces, the Liberty have conquered both the games.

Nevertheless, there is Game 3 yet to be played this Friday at the Aces’ home, Michelob Ultra Arena. What remains to be seen is if any of the Swoopes’ prophecy will come out to be true in the remaining games.