Game three of the 2022 WNBA playoffs is right around the corner and with the Las Vegas Aces taking game one and two the Connecticut Sun need a miracle to keep their championship dreams alive.
With Aces star A’ja Wilson taking home not only the Defensive player of the year but also MVP for this season she’s also competing for Finals MVP against fellow teammate Chelsea Gray who has been a star for the Aces. A’ja has been averaging 21.63 points, 10.75 rebounds, and 2.38 blocks through the playoffs. She also had a 24 point 11 rebound double-double, the first in finals history. Chelsea Gray has averaged 23.25 points, 7.13 assists, with a 71.94 true shooting percentage. During game one of the finals the Aces had 19 free throws, making 16 of them. This win for the Aces was their very first finals win. In Game two Aces stars A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Kelsey Plum combined for 67 points compared to the Sun’s 71. Game two was very important for Kelsey Plum who had been struggling offensively during game one. Plum had 20 points, 7 assists, and was locked in defensively. Teammate and friend A’ja Wilson had some words with Plum that motivated her to get back into her groove and shine like the star she is.
While the Sun have been struggling to find a win and get past the dominant Aces, Jonquel Jones and Alyssa Thomas have been their top performers, scoring in double-digits each game. Courtney Williams has come up big for the Sun as well with 18 points and 5 assists in game two. During this game the Sun had an opportunity to close the gap and pull ahead when Chelsea Gray went to the locker room with injury, but failed to do so and allowed the Aces to extend their lead. After the game Jonquel Jones expressed disappointment with the Sun defense and their inability to shut down the Aces. The Sun also had five chances to make free throws and only converted three of those chances. DeWanna Bonner has provided great leadership but has been in an offensive slump, averaging just 2.5 points through this series. The Sun will need more from her if they want to take game three.
Connecticut has gone 3-0 in elimination games this season and will have the home crowd on their side for game three. However, the Aces have the most momentum going into this game with A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray continuing to dominate the court and if Kelsey Plum can continue on her game two groove the Aces will have no problem sweeping the Sun and taking home their very first championship.