The Phoenix Mercury found themselves in the WNBA Finals, and with the series moving to the desert for Game 3, they had the opportunity to cut the series deficit in front of their home fans at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Wednesday night.
Despite a valiant effort from the Phoenix, the team came up against the group known as the Las Vegas Aces, led by superstar A’ja Wilson.
Las Vegas beat the Mercury 90-88 to take a 3-0 series lead and is just one win away from capturing the franchise’s third championship in four seasons.
But it wasn’t an easy victory for the Aces, having had to fend off a late comeback attempt from Phoenix.
With the game tied 88-88 and the clock winding down, Wilson, 29, showed why she was recently named the league’s Most Valuable Player for a record fourth time.
Wilson collected the ball on the inside pass and, as two Mercury defenders challenged her clear intention to win the game, she rose to sink the go-ahead pass to shock the Mercury and their fans.
Wilson finished the game with 34 points and 14 rebounds, becoming the first player in WNBA Finals history to record three consecutive games with 25 or more points and 10 rebounds.
Game 2 hero Jackie Young added 21 points and nine assists.
Phoenix made several runs in the first three quarters to keep the contest close, but even so, it felt like Las Vegas never lost control.
However, the Mercury put on the pressure in the final quarter behind forwards Satou Sabally and DeWanna Bonner.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the Mercury down 10 points, Sabally had to be helped off the field with the help of trainers after appearing to suffer a head injury.
The Mercury used the injury as motivation, immediately going on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to one point with just over three minutes remaining.
After both teams traded buckets, Bonner fouled out and made both free throws to tie the game.
Just when many thought it would be Mercury who would steal the game, it was Wilson who had other plans.
Bonner, who finished with 25 points coming off the bench, saw his last-second shot bounce off the rim, leaving the arena stunned into silence.
Wilson shared a simple message when asked what Aces coach Becky Hammon said to him in the huddle with the game on the line.
“Go do it,” Wilson told the ESPN broadcast after the game.
“That was it. (Hammon) just wrote a play and she said ‘do it.’ She didn’t say much because I already understood the mission.
Afterward, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts did not hear from Sabally, who finished with 24 points.
The Aces will try to win the championship in Game 4, scheduled for Friday in Phoenix.
