LAS VEGAS —The Phoenix Mercury are in a well-known territory after shedding Sport 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces. They appear to turn out to be the primary group in WNBA historical past to win a WNBA Championship after shedding Sport 1s of the earlier collection.
All through Sport 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals, it was an in depth one between the Mercury and Aces, as there have been 12 lead modifications and 9 ties. Las Vegas ended up profitable the primary sport of the best-of-seven collection over Phoenix, 89-86, after ahead Satou Sabally missed a three-pointer that might’ve pressured additional time.
Guard Dana Evans grew to become the primary guard in WNBA historical past to file a minimum of 5 made three-pointers and 4 steals, because the Aces outscored the Mercury in bench factors, 41-16. For Phoenix, guard Kahleah Copper tied franchise legend Diana Taurasi’s file for many made three-pointers in a single half with 5 within the first half.
Regulate what’s occurring all through sport 2 of the WNBA Finals between the Mercury and Aces, all at Michelob Extremely Area, proper right here on Ballislife.
4th Quarter: Aces 83, Mercury 61
7:38— Alyssa Thomas went down hardly and is on the bench with a towel. Jackie Younger picks up an offensive foul. (83-67 LV)
7:52— Satou Sabally scores the final six factors for Phoenix and makes the Mercury’s first three-pointer since on the 2:51 mark within the first quarter (83-67 LV)
8:44— A’ja Wilson’s back-to-back layups will get the Aces up by 22. She has been unstoppable this afternoon with a double-double of 28 factors and 13 rebounds (83-61 LV)
9:43— Dana Evans dishes it out to Jewell Loyd, who makes a three-pointer (79-61 LV)
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third Quarter: Aces 76, Mercury 61
Be aware: Phoenix is capturing 16.7 p.c (3-for-18) from the three-point line after going 3-for-4 on the opening quarter. The Mercury are outscored 24-30 within the third quarter
0.9— Jackie Younger scores 21 factors, a brand new WNBA Finals file, within the third quarter after making each free throws.
5.4— Satou Sabally’s layup cuts the Aces’ result in 13 on the finish of the third quarter
0:51— Jackie Younger drills one other pullup three-pointer and has 28 factors all through the afternoon (74-57 LV)
1:21— Jackie Younger scored 15 factors within the third quarter and has a complete of 25 within the sport (71-55 LV)
1:36— DeWanna Bonner makes each free throws to chop Aces’ result in 14 factors (69-55 LV)
1:58— A’ja Wilson lays it in to extends Las Vegas’ result in 16 within the third quarter. Phoenix appears to be like dejected on the opposite finish. (69-53 LV)
2:32— Kahleah Copper scores a layup and attracts the foul. She has scored six factors within the third quarter (65-53 LV)
4:00— Jackie Younger takes over for the Aces within the third quarter and has scored 12 factors (64-51 LV)
4:52— Kahleah Copper’s free throws cuts Las Vegas’ deficit to 10 (59-49 LV)
6:17— Satou Sabally’s layup cuts the Aces’ result in eight, forcing Becky Hammon to take a timeout (55-47 LV)
7:19— Alyssa Thomas picks up her fourth private foul after A’ja Wilson makes a bucket and picks up the place she left off within the first half (53-41 LV)
8:10— Jackie Younger’s three-pointer extends Aces’ result in 12 (51-39 LV)
9:26— Kierstan Bell’s jumper will get Las Vegas up by double digits. (48-37 LV)
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Halftime Leaders
MERCURY (37)
Factors: Kahleah Copper (15), Alyssa Thomas (8)Assists: Monique Akoa Makani (2)Rebounds: Alyssa Thomas (6)
ACES (46)
Factors: A’ja Wilson (20), Jackie Younger and Chelsea Grey (9 factors a chunk)Assists: Chelsea Grey (7), Dana Evans (3)Rebounds: A’ja Wilson (8)
Las Vegas has been ultra-active on the defensive finish with blocks by Chelsea Grey (3) and Jewell Loyd (2) and restricted Alyssa Thomas’ passing to only one help (and has three turnovers).
Wilson joins Angel McCoughtry (24 in 2011) and Copper (20 in 2021) as solely gamers to attain 20 or extra factors in a single half within the WNBA Finals.
Mercury’s 10 factors within the second quarter is the fewest they’ve scored in a second quarter all season, counting the common season and playoffs.
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2nd Quarter: Aces 44, Mercury 37
1:25—Jackie Younger’s two made free throws extends Las Vegas’ lead as much as 9 (46-37 LV)
2:27— A’ja Wilson scores her twentieth level (13 factors within the second quarter) for Las Vegas, essentially the most in any half of her Finals profession (44-37 LV)
3:10— Thomas picks up her third private foul and checks out the sport for Phoenix. She has 8 factors, 5 rebounds, and an help (40-35 LV)
3:52— Alyssa Thomas steal and a bucket ends Aces’ run (38-35 LV)
4:19— A’ja Wilson (16 factors) and Chelsea Grey (9 factors) has been unstoppable for the Aces, who take the most important lead of the sport. Nate Tibbetts takes a timeout for the Mercury, who’re being outscored 14-6 within the second quarter (38-33 LV)
5:34— Chelsea Grey’s bucket palms Las Vegas the lead and are on a 7-0 run (34-33 LV)
6:41— A’ja Wilson completes the three-point play for the Aces and is in double figures. Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas picks up her second foul (33-30 PHX)
6:54— Kahleah Copper scored her thirteenth level with a pullup jumper for Phoenix (33-27 PHX)
7:31— Jewell Loyd’s three-pointer ends Las Vegas’ scoring drought that lasted for greater than 5 minutes (31-27 PHX)
8:02— Alyssa Thomas’ layup extends Phoenix’s result in seven and the Mercury are on a 10-0 run (31-24 PHX)
9:22— Monique Akoa Makani’s layup extends Phoenix’s result in 5 (29-24 PHX)
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1st Quarter: Mercury 27, Aces 24
35.0— DeWanna Bonner scores a layup off a steal by Monique Akoa Makani to increase the Mercury’s result in three by the tip of the primary quarter
44.6— Satou Sabally attracts a foul on Dana Evans, and makes each free throws to provide Phoenix again the lead (25-24 PHX)
1:51— A’ja Wilson takes her first journey to the free-throw line after drawing the foul, and makes one in every of two free throws for the Aces (22-21 LV)
2:40— Kahleah Copper makes a three-pointer for Phoenix, so does Jewell Loyd with a response for Las Vegas (21-21 TIED)
3:20— Las Vegas takes the lead after happening a 10-0 run during the last 2:35 of the primary quarter. A’ja Wilson has scored six of the ten Aces’ factors (18-16 LV).
5:02— A’ja Wilson scores the final 4 factors for the Aces to chop the Mercury’s deficit to 4 (16-12 PHX)
5:53— All 5 starters for the Mercury have scored after Alyssa Thomas scores a bucket (16-8)
6:35— Chelsea Grey drills a three-pointer and has 5 factors for Las Vegas (12-8 PHX)
6:57— Copper makes her second three-pointer of the sport for Phoenix (12-5 PHX)
7:24— Jackie Younger makes her first three-pointer for Las Vegas (9-5 PHX)
7:53— Chelsea Grey will get Las Vegas on board with a pullup leap shot (7-2 PHX)
8:16— Natasha Mack’s offensive rebound and layup will get Phoenix up 7-0. (7-0 PHX)
8:41— Satou Sabally’s jumper will get the Mercury off to a 5-0 begin (5-0 PHX)
9:03— Alyssa Thomas dishes it out to Kahleah Copper, who makes a three-pointer to get the Mercury on board (3-0 PHX)
10:00—NaLyssa Smith wins the tip from Natasha Mack, and Sport 2 of the 2025 WNBA Finals are underway
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Pregame
What: Phoenix Mercury @ Las Vegas Aces, WNBA Finals, Sport 2 The place: Michelob Extremely Area, Las Vegas, NVWatch: 3 p.m. ET, ESPNWho’s Favored: LVA -2.5
Beginning Lineups
MERCURY: Monique Akoa Makani, Kahleah Copper, Natasha Mack, Satou Sabally, Alyssa ThomasACES: Kiersten Bell, Chelsea Grey, NaLyssa Smith, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Younger
Referees: Maj Forsberg, Kevin Fahy, Angelica Suffren
