Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd, right, goes up against Mercury guard Kahleah Copper, center, during the first half of Game 3 of the WNBA finals on Wednesday in Phoenix. (AP photo)
PHOENIX — The Las Vegas Aces are in position to make short work of the WNBA’s expanded playoff schedule.
A’ja Wilson’s turnaround jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining lifted the Aces over the Phoenix Mercury for a thrilling 90-88 win on Wednesday night. It also gave Las Vegas a 3-0 lead in the first best-of-seven WNBA Finals in league history.
In the previous best-of-five format, the Aces would already be celebrating their third championship in four seasons.
In 2025, there’s more work to do. Game 4 is tonight in Phoenix.
“We don’t look at it too big,” Wilson said. “We just win one game, win one possession, win one quarter and then everything will pan out.”
The Aces were one of the best teams in the WNBA all season, earning the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a 30-14 record, but they looked surprisingly vulnerable early in the postseason. They dropped a game to Seattle in the opening round and needed the full five games to squeeze past the Indiana Fever in the semifinals, prevailing in overtime for a 107-98 win in the decisive Game 5.
In the finals, the Aces have looked unstoppable.
Wilson — a four-time MVP who is already one of the league’s all-time greats — continued to add to her legacy on Wednesday night with a 34-point, 14-rebound performance that helped the Aces navigate a hostile road environment and shake off a late Mercury rally.
Wilson has already set a WNBA record with 291 postseason points through 11 games and is averaging 26.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. The 29-year-old is still at the peak of her basketball powers, using her 6-foot-4 frame and soft touch around the basket to score in bunches.
“I always have to credit my teammates, because they give me the basketball in the right space at the right time,” Wilson said. “Like Jewell (Loyd) said, the ball has energy. Players understand, there’s something different where you get a pass and it’s like ‘This is a pass to score the basketball.’”
Wilson’s presence was more important than ever in the closing moments of Game 3.
The Aces had coughed up a 76-59 lead entering the fourth quarter and the game was tied at 88 with 5 seconds left. Las Vegas had the ball and the daunting task of trying to close the game against a desperate Mercury team that had a raucous home crowd on its side.
Aces coach Becky Hammon didn’t need to consult her playbook for the right call.
Just throw it to A’ja. Boom. Game over.
“These are the moments that you dream of, the times you see on TV, you’re watching and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, to be in that building,’” Wilson said.
The Mercury will try to shake off the tough loss and force the series back to Las Vegas for a Game 5. Phoenix will be without star forward Satou Sabally, who suffered a concussion late in Wednesday’s game after scoring 24 points.
DeWanna Bonner led the Mercury with 25 points in Game 3 while Alyssa Thomas was one assist short of a triple double, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
“This group has been a group that continues to compete at a high level,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “We’re going to expect that in front of our fans. We’ve got a certain level of pride.”
