Leah Pan

AP Recap

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jackie Young set a WNBA Finals record with 21 points in the third quarter, finishing with 32 to carry the Las Vegas Aces to a 91-78 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday for a 2-0 lead.
Game 3 is Wednesday in Phoenix, where the Aces hope to put a stranglehold on the series as they chase their third title in four years. The Mercury have the tall task of needing to win four of five games to capture their fourth championship, which would tie the WNBA record.
Young, who tied a career playoff high in total points, fell just short of the league record of 22 points for any postseason quarter. Three players have accomplished that, most recently in 2021 when Young’s teammate, Jewell Loyd, hit that number for Seattle against the Mercury.
A’ja Wilson scored 20 of her 28 points in the first half and had 14 rebounds. Chelsea Gray finished with 10 points and 10 assists.
Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 23 points, Satou Sabally scored 22 and Alyssa Thomas had 10 while coping with foul trouble much of the game.
Like in Game 1 when they began with a 10-2 lead, the Mercury came out strong, scoring the first seven points. Phoenix wound up with 27 points in the first quarter, but then the Aces held the Mercury to a combined 24 points over the following two periods.
By that point, the Aces had taken charge, leading 76-51 going into the fourth and eventually going up by as much as 22 points.
Any team facing Aces coach Becky Hammon in a Game 2 in Las Vegas is asking for trouble. She ran her record to 9-0 with this victory, the average margin being more than 17 points.

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Game Recap: Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces (Finals, Game 2)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson and Dana Evans each scored 21 points, and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury 89-86 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.
Wilson scored 12 of her points over the final 14 minutes, and Phoenix’s Satou Sabally missed a long 3-pointer with 2 seconds left that would have tied it.
Game 2 is Sunday in Las Vegas.
Evans led an Aces bench that outscored the Mercury’s reserves 41-16. Reserve Jewell Loyd scored 18 points for second-seeded Las Vegas, and starter Jackie Young had 10. Wilson had 10 rebounds, and Chelsea Gray had 10 assists.
Kahleah Cooper scored 21 points for the fourth-seeded Mercury. Sabally added 19 points and Alyssa Thomas had 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Copper scored 19 points in the first half, one off her playoff career high for a half. Her personal best also came against the Mercury, when she scored 20 points for Chicago in the first half of Game 3 of the 2021 Finals. Copper’s five 3-pointers in the first half topped her previous high of four for a game.
If this game was any indication, these Finals — a best-of-seven series for the first time — figure to be tight throughout. The largest lead was nine points, and there were 12 lead changes and nine ties.
The Mercury threatened to take control several times, only for the Aces to respond with a run. In the end, it was Las Vegas that nearly pulled away, only for Phoenix to keep it close.
With Phoenix down a point with 24.6 seconds left, Thomas went to the free-throw line but missed both. Young was fouled on the other end with 13.5 seconds remaining and made both free throws for the final margin.
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Game Recap: Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces (Finals, Game 1)

Betting + Odds

To call this WNBA season a wild ride would be an understatement. From rookie breakouts and record win streaks to MVP-level dominance (looking at you, Las Vegas Aces), it’s been nonstop drama. Now the stage is set for the ultimate showdown. The Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury tip off the WNBA Finals on Friday, October 3rd, in what’s not only a clash of heavyweights, but also the first-ever best-of-seven Finals series in league history.
There are plenty of storylines to dive into and sharp angles to attack, so let&#8217;s take a look at the <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA odds</a> for the WNBA Finals on DraftKings Sportsbook and preview this series.
Stay locked into the WNBA Finals with game previews, best bets, and predictions all postseason long on <a href="https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/">DraftKingsNetwork.com!</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=team-futures&amp;subcategory=champion">2025 WNBA Finals Odds</a>
The Favorite: LV Aces (-135)
After a thrilling 107–98 overtime win in Game 5 over the Indiana Fever, the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces (-135) punched their ticket back to the Finals. Their opponent? The No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury (+115), a team that caught fire late in the regular season and carried that momentum through the playoffs. Phoenix stunned the league by taking down the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx — heavy favorites for much of the year — in four games. The Mercury showed resilience and poise under pressure, erasing a 20-point deficit in Game 2 (tying the largest road comeback in WNBA playoff history) and storming back from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to close out the series.
The Aces, meanwhile, have looked unstoppable down the stretch. After sitting at .500 at the All-Star break, Las Vegas ripped off a 16-game win streak to surge into the No. 2 seed — then extended it to 17 with a Game 1 victory over Seattle. Reigning MVP A’ja Wilson elevated her game even further, locking up her fourth MVP award while cementing herself as the league’s most dominant force. Her playoff heroics have only added to her legend, highlighted by a record-setting third career 35-point postseason performance in a series-clinching win (per ESPN).
Buckle up — this one has all the makings of a classic.
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Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury WNBA Finals Preview
Game 1 tips off Friday, October 3rd, 8 p.m. ET
While the Mercury have been dominant in closing out games, the Aces have been battle-tested at every step of the postseason. Las Vegas edged the Storm by a single point in Game 3 of the opening round and needed overtime to put away Indiana in the semis. Phoenix, by contrast, has stumbled out of the gate in multiple games — but their knack for late rallies and fourth-quarter poise has powered them into the Finals. Momentum may tilt toward the Mercury, but Las Vegas still has the ultimate X-factor in A’ja Wilson, with Jackie Young putting on a clinic of her own.
The Mercury embraced the underdog role this postseason, first knocking out the reigning champion New York Liberty in Round 1, then stunning the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx in Round 2. With their Big 3 of Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper fully healthy, Phoenix enters another series as the betting underdog — but this team is far from overmatched.
How Do The Finalists Stack Up?
The numbers tell the story: the Aces own the best postseason offensive rating (108.9), while the Mercury counter with the top defensive rating (92.2). Phoenix has had slow starts — including missing their first six shots in Game 4 of the semis — yet still found ways to close. Their stars have delivered: Thomas has been nearly a triple-double machine (18.6 PPG, 9.1 APG, 8.4 RPG), Sabally adds 17.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG with legit stretch-big range (34% from three in the playoffs), and Copper rounds it out with 15.0 PPG.
Las Vegas, though, has Wilson — and she’s been every bit the MVP. She’s averaging 26.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 2.8 BPG in the postseason, after torching Phoenix for 25 per game in the regular season. Jackie Young has been the Aces’ other engine, putting up 20.5 PPG, including the clutch game-winner to seal the Storm series. Chelsea Gray adds steady veteran playmaking with 10.3 PPG and 7.3 APG, giving Vegas a balanced three-headed attack.
Realistically, this series hinges on whether Phoenix can limit Wilson — and I say “limit” lightly. The other swing factor: which team closes better in the fourth quarter. While Wilson is the best player on the floor, I lean Mercury to keep their underdog magic alive.
Sabally’s versatility as a 6’4 forward who can shoot the three, get to the line, and defend multiple positions is a threatening matchup. If Phoenix continues to show resiliency late in games and gets consistent production from its Big 3, they could flip this Finals on its head.
For bettors, this series is the definition of strength vs. strength: the Aces’ high-powered offense against the Mercury’s gritty identity. Their paths to the Finals couldn’t be more different, but Phoenix’s fourth-quarter toughness makes them a dangerous underdog — particularly against the spread and in live-betting spots if they fall behind early. With the W’s first-ever best-of-seven Finals, this isn’t just history in the making. It’s a clash of styles, stars, and storylines that should deliver fireworks on every level.
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=series-markets&amp;subcategory=correct-score">PICK: PHO in 7 (+650)</a>
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All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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WNBA Finals Preview, Pick: Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury

Uncategorized

The stage for the 2025 WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV is set.
The second-seeded Las Vegas Aces will face the fourth-seeded Phoenix Mercury in the first-ever best-of-seven series in WNBA history to decide the league&#8217;s 29th champion.
Finals Schedule
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 1: Mercury at Aces (Friday, Oct. 3, 8 ET, ESPN)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 2: Mercury at Aces (Sunday, Oct. 5, 3 ET, ABC)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 3: Aces at Mercury (Wednesday, Oct. 8, 8 ET, ESPN)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 4: Aces at Mercury (Friday, Oct. 10, 8 ET, ESPN)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 5: Mercury at Aces (Sunday, Oct. 12, 3 ET, ABC)*</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 6: Aces at Mercury (Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8 ET, ESPN)*</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Game 7: Mercury at Aces (Friday, Oct. 17, 8 ET, ESPN)*</li>
</ul>
*If necessary
How They Got Here
Aces: Las Vegas entered the playoffs on a 16-game win streak, but went the distance in both playoff rounds to return to the Finals stage following a one-year absence.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Regular Season: Sitting at .500 (14-14) through 28 games, the Aces won their final 16 games to finish 30-14 and earn the 2 seed</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">First Round: Defeated the Seattle Storm in three games (2-1)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Semifinals: Defeated the Indiana Fever in five games (3-2)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Finals: Making their third Finals appearance in last four seasons (fifth overall: 2008 as the San Antonio Silver Stars, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025), and seeking third championship in franchise history (2022, 2023)</li>
</ul>
Mercury: Phoenix defeated last year’s two finalists – the defending champion Liberty and runner-up Lynx – in the first season of their new-look squad following the retirement of Diana Taurasi and departure of Brittney Griner as part of a roster overhaul.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Regular Season: Despite dropping their final three games, the Mercury finished two wins shy of a franchise record at 27-17 to earn the 4 seed</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">First Round: Defeated the New York Liberty in three games (2-1)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Semifinals: Defeated the Minnesota Lynx in four games (3-1)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Finals: Making their first Finals appearance since 2021 (sixth overall: 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2021, 2025), and seeking fourth championship in franchise history (2007, 2009, 2014)</li>
</ul>
Regular Season Series
Las Vegas won the season series over Phoenix, 3-1, with three of the four games decided by six points or less.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">June 15: <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/game/1022500070">Mercury 76, Aces 70</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">June 29: <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/game/1022500106">Aces 84, Mercury 81</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Aug. 15: <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/game/1022500215">Aces 86, Mercury 83</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Aug. 21: <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/game/1022500231">Aces 83, Mercury 61</a></li>
</ul>
The Aces were led by four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who averaged 25 points and 15.7 rebounds over three games (all Aces wins) against Phoenix, while Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray each averaged 14+ points and 5+ assists while playing all four games.
The Mercury were led by All-Stars Satou Sabally, who averaged a team-high 18.3 points along with 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.3 triples over four games, while triple-double queen Alyssa Thomas stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.8 steals over the four matchups.
Series Breakdown: 3 Things To Watch
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-204861" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/unnamed-1.png" alt="" width="512" height="341" />
1. Strength vs. Strength
This matchup sees the best offense of the postseason (Las Vegas) against the best defense of the postseason (Phoenix).
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Aces lead the WNBA playoffs in offensive rating (108.9), points per game (87.0) and effective field goal percentage (53.9%) over eight games.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Mercury lead the WNBA playoffs in defensive rating (92.2) and fewest opponent points per game (75.9), while allowing the third-lowest effective field goal percentage (45.5%) over seven games.</li>
</ul>
The must-see matchup in this series is Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson vs. Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas, who finished first and third, respectively, in MVP voting this year. Both serve as their team’s centerpiece on both ends of the court.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">On offense, Wilson led the league in scoring (23.4 ppg), while Thomas led the league in assists (9.2 apg).</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">On defense, Wilson led the league in blocks (2.3 bpg), while both players finished top five in steals and rebounding.</li>
</ul>
How will Phoenix try to contain the scoring from Wilson, who is coming off a 35-point effort in Game 5 against Indiana to set the WNBA record for most career 30+ point playoff games (8)? This year, the Aces are 14-2 between the regular season and playoffs when Wilson scores 30+ points. 
Between Thomas, Sabally and Natasha Mack, the Mercury have tough post defenders to throw at Wilson as it will take a team effort to keep the MVP from getting buckets.
Conversely, can the Aces slow down Thomas as a playmaker and prevent AT from distributing to her teammates? Between the regular season (13-3) and playoffs (3-0), the Mercury are 16-3 this season when AT drops at least 10 dimes. Finding a way to make “The Engine” more of a scorer than a passer could be key for Vegas.
In 26 career head-to-head matchups, Wilson has a 17-9 edge over Thomas, including a 6-3 record in the playoffs as Wilson’s Aces eliminated Thomas’ Sun in both 2020 (Semifinals) and 2022 (Finals).
2. Which Team Will Win Clutch Time?
With three of their four regular season matchups being decided by six points or less, we can expect close games throughout this series. That means the team that executes best in the pressure-packed closing minutes will have the best shot at hoisting the WNBA championship trophy this month.
Throughout the regular season and postseason, the Aces and Mercury have been two of the best teams in the league in clutch situations – defined as the final five minutes with the score within five points.
During the regular season, the Aces went a league-best 14-5 (.737 win percentage) in clutch games, with the Mercury not far behind with the third-highest win percentage at 13-8 (.619). In the playoffs, six of Phoenix’s seven games have featured clutch time and the Mercury have gone 4-2 in those games, while Vegas is 2-2 in clutch playoff games.
Keep an eye on these players as the clock ticks down in the fourth quarter.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Alyssa Thomas (PHX): Tied for fifth in total clutch points (50) and first in clutch assists (17) while shooting 74.1% (20-of-27) – second among players with 10+ shot attempts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jackie Young (LVA): Tied with Thomas with 50 total clutch points, while posting 50-50-100 shooting splits, showing off the ice water in her veins by going 21-of-21 at the line.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jewell Loyd (LVA): The only player to shoot a higher percentage than AT was Loyd, who shot 75% (9-of-12), including tying for the league-high in clutch 3-pointers made with six on just seven attempts (85.7%).</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Satou Sabally (PHX) and A’ja Wilson (LVA): Tied for 12th in clutch scoring with 40 points apiece, with Wilson leading all players in clutch plus/minus at +52 in 47 minutes.</li>
</ul>
3. AT Chasing Elusive WNBA Title
After an eight-year run of contention in Connecticut &#8212; including WNBA Finals losses in 2019 (to Washington) and 2022 (to Las Vegas) &#8212; Alyssa Thomas joined the Mercury in the offseason as part of a historic 10-team trade.
She was part of a roster overhaul for the Mercury, who carried over only two players from 2024 to 2025 – Kahleah Copper and Mack. The city may have changed for Thomas, but AT’s all-around excellence (single-season record nine triple-doubles, more than any other player in league history for their career) led to another deep playoff run.
While Thomas has racked up plenty of accolades over the course of her WNBA career – she’s a six-time All-Star, a three-time All-WNBA performer (likely to soon to be four-time), a six-time All-Defensive Team selection (likely to soon to be seven-time), a season-long league lead in three different categories (steals in 2020, rebounds in 2023, assists in 2025) – the ultimate prize of a WNBA title (and potential Finals MVP) has eluded her thus far.
Will the third WNBA Finals appearance be the charm for Thomas to add champion to her already outstanding resume.
Potential X-Factors To Watch
AT Triple-Double Watch: The Mercury are 8-1 this season when Alyssa Thomas records a triple-double, including her 20-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist performance in the series-clinching win over New York in the first round.
DB Back In The Valley: After being released by Indiana, DeWanna Bonner signed with the Mercury as a free agent, returning to Phoenix, where she played her first 10 WNBA seasons and won two titles (2009, 2014). The Mercury are 8-2 this season (including the playoffs) when Bonner scores 13+ points.
Trio Of Finals MVPs: Three of the last four players to be named WNBA Finals MVP will be in this series: Las Vegas&#8217; A&#8217;ja Wilson (2023) and Chelsea Gray (2022) as well as Phoenix&#8217;s Kahleah Copper (2021 with Chicago). All three players possess the skills to take over a game at any time and have proven to be players that can single-handedly swing a series.
Jewell Looking For More Gold: Already a two-time champion during her decade-long run in Seattle, Loyd is in her first season in Vegas following an offseason trade. Loyd’s midseason move to a reserve role coincided with Las Vegas’ season-ending run to the 2 seed. She’s averaged 12.1 points on 40.9% 3-point shooting off the bench.
Limited Travel: With Las Vegas and Phoenix separated by just 300 miles, travel between the two cities should be a breeze in this duel of the desert – compared to a matchup of teams on opposing coasts – giving both teams more time to recover and prepare for each ensuing game.

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2025 WNBA Finals Preview: (2) Las Vegas Aces vs. (4) Phoenix Mercury

2025 Playoffs

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		<h2>Gallery Block</h2>
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Photo Gallery: WNBA Finals MVPs Through the Years

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Fever, with about half their roster in street clothes, weren’t supposed to be this kind of challenge for the Aces.
And then when <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/mitchell-fever-aces-injury-70d9e64f22798b0ca71944597d93ec7a" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">Kelsey Mitchell left Game 5</a> on Tuesday night because of severe leg cramping, victory seemed assured for Las Vegas — only to have Indiana keep fighting back.
But the Aces, pushed to the brink for the second postseason series in a row, survived 107-98 in overtime to advance to the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years. A’ja Wilson, with 35 points, and Jackie Young, with 32, became the first teammates to score more than 30 points in a playoff game.
The second-seeded Aces, who won the league title in 2022 and 2023, will host the fourth-seeded Phoenix Mercury on Friday in the opener of the best-of-seven championship series.
Las Vegas went on a 16-game winning streak to end the regular season, but was pushed to the edge by Seattle in the first round and then Indiana.
“I think that streak we went on prepared us for moments like this, how to fight through the highs and lows of the game,” Wilson said. “It allows us to never take our foot off the gas.”
Indiana made Las Vegas work for it even though the sixth-seeded Fever have been decimated by injuries, with Mitchell added to that list that includes Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. Coach Stephanie White somehow not only kept the team together, the Fever reached the doorstep of their first Finals appearance since 2015.
“They have been an absolute joy to coach,” White said. “It’s an incredible group of women, an incredibly connected group. They’re a great example to everybody to what it means to just put one foot in front of the other to persevere, to welcome people into the fold, to not give in to circumstance.”
Mitchell had scored a team-high 15 points at the time of her injury. Six Fever players reached double digits, including Odyssey Sims with 27 points and Natasha Howard with 16. Aliyah Boston finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds, but fouled out with 27 seconds left in regulation.
The Aces were closer to a three-woman show, with Wilson coming within three points of her playoff career high. Young, whose <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/storm-aces-playoffs-score-5e8e1bc7bbe8868fc54d58086556e4d6" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">putback basket</a> in the opening round against Seattle allowed Las Vegas to advance to this round, had a playoff career-high 10 assists.
Chelsea Gray — who briefly went into the locker room in early in the third quarter with an apparent right leg injury — scored 17 points, including eight in overtime.
Las Vegas needed every one of those points because the Fever challenged the Aces throughout, including after Mitchell got hurt. Rather than fade away and concede the playoff series to the home team, the Fever battled to tie the game at 84 on two Sims free throws with 52 seconds left.
After Young made two free throws with 27.1 seconds remaining, Sims answered with a drive down the lane for a layup with 22.5 seconds to go to again tie the game. Young missed a layup in the closing seconds and Jewell Loyd the follow to send the game to overtime.
The Aces then took the lead early in OT and didn’t give it up.
“They would just not go away,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said of the Fever. “The resiliency of (White’s) group. They went through a lot of adversity this year and for Steph to keep everybody onboard &#8230; I thought they did an unbelievable job all the way around. They just gas-pedaled the whole time, and it was tough for us.”

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