Aces sweep Sky in first round while Lynx force Game 3 against Sun
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates with guard Jackie Young (0) after scoring during the first half of Game 2 of a WNBA basketball playoff series game against the Chicago Sky, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier (24) reacts to a basket during a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (Sarah Gordon/The Day via AP)
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates with guard Jackie Young (0) after scoring during the first half of Game 2 of a WNBA basketball playoff series game against the Chicago Sky, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates with guard Jackie Young (0) after scoring during the first half of Game 2 of a WNBA basketball playoff series game against the Chicago Sky, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier (24) reacts to a basket during a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (Sarah Gordon/The Day via AP)
Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier (24) reacts to a basket during a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (Sarah Gordon/The Day via AP)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored a playoff career-high 38 points to help the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces finish off a first-round sweep of the Chicago Sky with a 92-70 victory on Sunday.
The Aces, who beat Chicago 87-59 in the first game of the best-of-3 series, will play either the No. 4 seed Dallas Wings or the fifth-seeded Atlanta Dream in the semifinals. Game 1 will be played in Las Vegas next Sunday. The Wings lead their series 1-0 with Game 2 on Tuesday in Dallas.
Wilson sank 15 of 23 shots from the floor and made 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. She added 16 rebounds for her first double-double this postseason after notching six in last year’s championship run — and three steals. Jackie Young pitched in with 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Alysha Clark totaled 14 points and six boards, while Kelsey Plum scored 10.
Kahleah Copper had 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Chicago. Dana Evans came off the bench to score 22. Marina Mabrey added 15 points.
LYNX 82, SUN 75
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Kayla McBride scored 28 points and Napheesa Collier added 26 points and 13 rebounds as the Lynx beat the Sun to force a deciding Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.
Alyssa Thomas scored 26 points and DeWanna Bonner added 24 for the No. 3 seeded Sun, who won the first game of the series by 30 points, but now must win a road game on Wednesday to advance.
The Lynx led by six points at halftime and stretched that to 16 with the help of a 12-0 run in the third quarter, highlighted by the fifth of McBride’s six 3-pointers. Her layup made it 65-49.
But the Sun responded with a run of their own and trailed only by 65-60 headed into the fourth quarter.
A 3-pointer from Bonner cut the lead to 76-73 with 2 1/2 minutes to play, but the Lynx made several big defensive stops and scored the next six points to put the game away.
___ AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball