Aces MVP favorite A'ja Wilson was on the bench and the New York Liberty took advantage of her absence.
The Liberty held on as the Aces erased a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter and pulled out a 75-71 victory on Sunday in Brooklyn.
Wilson injured her ankle during Friday's victory at the Connecticut Sun. There were questions leading into Sunday's game about her availability, but those were answered when she entered Barclays Center in a walking boot.
Aces coach Becky Hammon described it as an “ankle tweak” and said that the boot was a precaution as MRI and imaging showed no major damage. She said the Wilson's timetable is unclear.
This marked the first game since 2019 that Wilson has missed. Her 172-game streak was the longest active streak in the league before today.
Comeback falls short
The Liberty built their lead up in the third quarter before the Aces went on a 15-0 run, much of which was fueled by the bench.
Kelsey Plum hit a big 3-pointer with 2:36 remaining to tie the game at 68, before Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu drove and knocked down a tough, contested pull-up jumper.
On the following trip down the court, Plum found Sydney Colson open on the wing for a 3-pointer that gave the Aces their first lead since the first quarter. Having just missed an open fast-break layup, Colson made up for it with the 28-foot go ahead bucket to make it 71-70 Aces.
Breanna Stewart grabbed her own rebound on the next possession and was fouled but missed both free throws, keeping the Aces ahead. However, after a missed 3-pointer by Plum, Ionescu responded with another tough jumper, putting the Liberty back on top.
Down one, the Aces found driving lanes for Plum and Tiffany Hayes, but both missed layups over physical defense by the Liberty.
A take foul sent Ionescu to the free-throw line and she went one-of-two, stretching New York’s lead to 2.
With a chance to tie or take the lead, the Aces burned much of the remaining clock before Jackie Young was blocked under the rim by Stewart. Jonquel Jones was fouled after gathering the rebound and made two free throws to seal the win.
Big rivalry
Like any time these two rivals meet, physicality was ample throughout the game. The foul disparity between the teams was 23-13 in favor of the Liberty, and the Aces felt they were on the wrong side of a swallowed whistle in a few key calls.
“(Jackie Young) got absolutely assaulted; nothing,” Plum said. “Tip (Hayes) assaulted; nothing. It’s really hard to beat New York when the foul count is 13-23.”
The Liberty won the rebounding battle 39-27 and allowed two Aces offensive rebounds to their 10. The Liberty outscored the Aces 36-16 in the paint.
Stewart and Jones comprise the league’s best front court pair and their dominance was on display today, capitalizing on Vegas’ thin interior. Stewart led the way with a team-high 21 points, 11 rebounds and a block, while Jones added 15 points, 8 rebounds, and a block as well.
Plum led the Aces with 25 points and 6 assists. Colson finished with 8 points, 2 steals, a block, 2 3-pointers and a team-high +6 +/- in just nine minutes on the floor.
“Sydney’s a difference maker,” said Aces forward Alysha Clark. “She’s always ready for the moment.
“We joked when she missed the layup but then you see the type of professional she is, she came back and hit a big three. Those are moments that we need.”
Despite a scorching 6-of-7 start from beyond the arc, the Aces shooting struggles continued. The 3-point shooting wasn’t the issue, as they made an impressive 15-of-33 from deep. However, they shot 35.9% overall, and an unworkable 8-of-31 from inside the arc.
This loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Aces (22-13) as they remain in fourth place. Wilson (ankle) will be re-evaluated next game.
The Aces next travel to Indiana next for a two-game series against the Fever. The first game tips off at 4 p.m . Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.