Aces vs. Liberty score: Las Vegas outlasts New York in thrilling Game 4 to clinch back-to-back WNBA titles (2024)

The Aces are the first team to repeat as champions in two decades

By Jack Maloney

1 min read

Aces vs. Liberty score: Las Vegas outlasts New York in thrilling Game 4 to clinch back-to-back WNBA titles (2)

The Las Vegas Aces are WNBA champions, again. Despite missing star point guard Chelsea Gray and starting center Kiah Stokes, the Aces battled their way to a thrilling title-clinching 70-69 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday night. With the win, they are the first team since the 2001-2002 Los Angeles Sparks to go back-to-back. A'ja Wilson was named Finals MVP, her first career win.

As expected, the Liberty jumped out to an early double-digit lead against the shorthanded Aces, and controlled the majority of the first 25 minutes. But towards the end of the third quarter, the Aces went on a big run to take the lead going into the fourth, and carried that momentum into the final frame.

In fact, they led by as much as seven before the Liberty clawed their way back into the game and tied things up with 2:44 to play on a Jonquel Jones putback. But the Aces refused to buckle to the pressure and ripped off a 6-0 run. When Wilson put them up 70-64 with 1:27 remaining, it seemed certain they would hold on. Not so much, as it turned out.

Courtney Vandersloot buried a 3-pointer out of the timeout, then stole the ball from Kelsey Plum, which led to a jumper by Sabrina Ionescu. In the blink of an eye, the Liberty had cut the deficit to one at 70-69. And after another stop on the other end, had the ball with a chance to win the game.

But the Aces refused to let this one slip away. Alysha Clark prevented Breanna Stewart from getting to the basket, and Jackie Young arrived to force the ball out of the league MVP's hands. Stewart kicked it out to Betnijah Laney, who spotted Courtney Vandersloot open in the corner, but could not deliver a precise pass. Vandersloot was able to eventually gather and get a shot off, but it was rushed and nowhere close.

The Aces were heavy underdogs in this game and probably should have lost, but their toughness and championship experience proved to be the difference-maker down the stretch. Wilson finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds in another marvelous display, while Jackie Young added 16 points and seven assists, including some huge fourth-quarter buckets. Even Cayla George, who had played 17 minutes in the postseason prior to Game 4, chipped in with three 3-pointers and 11 points.

For the Liberty, this is a heartbreaking end to such an exciting season. They had countless chances to run away with this game, but missed open shot after open shot, including half a dozen layups. Stewart finished a shockingly poor postseason by shooting 3-of-17 from the field. As a team, they shot 36.1% and turned the ball over 13 times.

Updates

(52)

See New Posts

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Liberty with the ball and a chance to win

Wow! The Liberty get a much needed stop and now have the ball with a chance to win it in the final 10 seconds. Incredible ending here.

Pinned

Link copied

Liberty staying alive

The Aces went up by six with just over a minute to play, and this one seemed over. But then Courtney Vandersloot hit a 3 and got a steal, which led to a Sabrina Ionescu bucket. Now it's suddenly a one-point game with 41 seconds left. Can the Liberty somehow pull this one out?

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

All tied up

The Liberty have finally gotten a few shots to go down and have tied things up at 62-62 as we head into the final five minutes. This is going to be on A'ja Wilson for the Aces down the stretch. They have no right to win this game, but if they get five great minutes from her, they can.

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Liberty trying to make a comeback

All of a sudden it's the Liberty trying to make a comeback. The Aces built their lead up to seven and were a missed 3 away from going up double digits. But the Liberty just got a layup from Betnijah Laney and a much-needed 3-pointer from Sabrina Ionescu to make it a two-point game again. Should be a thrilling 6:34 left.

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Third quarter: Aces 53 -- Liberty 51

Wow. A stunning turnaround at the end of the third quarter, as the Aces storm in front to take a two-point lead going into the fourth. A'ja Wilson and Alysha Clark led the way in the last few minutes, while the Liberty continue to miss everything, including more wide open layups. The Liberty should be running away with this, but they aren't. Now, all the Aces need are 10 good minutes from Wilson and they can clinch back-to-back titles.

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

George is firing at will

The Liberty are happy to ignore Cayla George at the 3-point line, and the Australian has not been shy about firing away. She's now launched 10 3s, making three of them, and has a team-high 11 points. On the one hand, she does have to shoot some of these looks, but, at the same time, it's strange to see her have the most shots on the team. So far, she's hit just enough to help the Aces hang around.

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

Halftime: Liberty 39 -- Aces 30

The Aces cut the deficit down to one, but the Liberty closed the second quarter on an 8-0 run to create some breathing room heading into the break. As expected, the shorthanded Aces have had trouble on offense, but the Liberty haven't been much better. Both teams have turned it over a bunch, and are shooting under 40%. The Liberty, though, have had much better looks.

Courtney Vandersloot leads all scorers with 12 points, and has also dished out three assists, while Betnijah Laney has added 11. A'ja Wilson leads the Aces with nine points and eight rebounds.

Pinned

Link copied

Pinned

Link copied

See More

Aces vs. Liberty score: Las Vegas outlasts New York in thrilling Game 4 to clinch back-to-back WNBA titles (3)

CBS Sports HQ Newsletter

We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge.

By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge Paramount's Privacy Policy.

See All Newsletters

Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.

Thanks for signing up!

Keep an eye on your inbox.

Sorry!

There was an error processing your subscription.

Aces vs. Liberty score: Las Vegas outlasts New York in thrilling Game 4 to clinch back-to-back WNBA titles (2024)

FAQs

Aces vs. Liberty score: Las Vegas outlasts New York in thrilling Game 4 to clinch back-to-back WNBA titles? ›

The Aces became the first team to repeat as champions in 21 years, getting 24 points and 16 rebounds from Wilson and a defensive stop in the closing seconds to beat the New York Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the Finals on Wednesday night.

What are the odds of the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty? ›

The final round of the 2023 WNBA playoffs kicks off on Sunday with the New York Liberty squaring off against the Las Vegas Aces. It's a best-of-five series for WNBA glory. Oddsmakers listed the Aces as -200 betting odds favorites to win the series, with the Liberty opening at +165.

What is the abbreviation for the Las Vegas Aces? ›

Las Vegas Aces (ABA)

What are the odds of the Las Vegas Aces winning the title? ›

After the WNBA Draft, reigning champion Las Vegas' odds moved to +100 after opening at +115. Now, at 4-2, those odds have shifted to +105. The 7-2 New York Liberty are another team to watch. New York's championship futures are +180 — second on the oddsboard behind the Aces.

How much did Mark Davis pay for the Las Vegas Aces? ›

I've seen many people talk about how Mark Davis got a great deal by buying the Las Vegas Aces for $2 million.

What Vegas casino game has the best odds? ›

Which casino games give you the best odds of winning?
  • Video poker RTP ranges from 98% to 100.05%.
  • Blackjack RTP ranges from 98% to 99.57%.
  • Baccarat RTP ranges from 98.76% to 98.94%.
  • Slot RTP ranges from 85% to 99%.
  • Craps RTP ranges from 83.3% to 100%.
  • Ultimate Texas Hold'em RTP is 97.8%.
  • European roulette RTP is 97.3%.
May 22, 2024

Which sportsbook has the sharpest odds? ›

What sportsbooks have the most accurate odds? Sharp sportsbooks like BetOnline, BookMaker, Bovada and Heritage Sports offer the most accurate odds. These sportsbooks welcome both professional and recreational bettors.

How much do Las Vegas Aces players make? ›

Young earns $252,450 a season, meaning she would get a 40% bonus. The other top earners on the Aces, Wilson and Kelsey Plum, each make $200,000 a year. For them the LVCVA's sponsorship pay would amount to half their base salary. Those salaries are a fraction of those earned by the highest-paid NBA players.

What is the most won on a sports bet? ›

Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston, won approximately $75 million off $10 million in bets on the Astros to win the World Series. It's believed to be the largest payout in American sports betting history, with the bulk of the haul coming from Louisiana sportsbooks.

How often does the Vegas favorite win? ›

Over the past five seasons, 67.01% of favorites have been successful in the NBA regular season. Home favorites have a slightly higher success rate than those on the road, with 68.66% of home favorites winning compared to 64.27% of those on the road.

Is Tom Brady a part owner of the Raiders? ›

Tom Brady and Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis agreed for the seven-time Super Bowl champion to become a minority owner of the team in May.

Does Mark Davis own the Aces? ›

Mark M Davis (born May 18, 1955) is an American businessman and sports franchise owner. He is the controlling owner and managing general partner of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and the owner of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Does Mark Davis own 100% of the Raiders? ›

Mark took over the operations of the franchise having worked within the organization beforehand. Mark and his mother Carol own 47% of the Raiders, but it is contractually specified that they will remain as primary owners and will have a controlling interest within the franchise.

What are the chances of winning at Las Vegas casino? ›

For a player using basic strategy, the casino has a roughly 0.5 percent house edge in a game using six decks of cards in the shoe. For an unskilled player, the house edge can rise up to 4 percent, but for an expert who is able to count cards, the player may be able to gain a slight advantage over the house.

How accurate are Vegas odds? ›

Vegas' Mean Average Error (or MAE) was 2.2 wins. Essentially, this means that, on average, Vegas is within 2.2 wins in either direction of their projected win line total. This is accurate in the sense that it's close, but it's not accurate in the traditional sense.

What are Las Vegas odds? ›

Betting odds are a measure of how likely or unlikely a sportsbook finds an event to be. The more likely an outcome is, the less you can make wagering on that outcome.

What are the odds of winning poker in Vegas? ›

Las Vegas Gambling Strategy and Casino Odds
GameHouse %
Three Card Poker3.4%
Let It Ride3.5%
Sportsbook4.5%
Caribbean Stud Poker5.26%
9 more rows

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Last Updated:

Views: 6028

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Birthday: 1998-02-19

Address: 64841 Delmar Isle, North Wiley, OR 74073

Phone: +17844167847676

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance

Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.