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Las Vegas Aces sweep Phoenix Mercury for third WNBA title in four seasons
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- Las Vegas Aces sweep Phoenix Mercury for third WNBA title in four seasons
PHOENIX — The Las Vegas Aces have cemented their dynasty, sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in the 2025 WNBA Finals on Friday to win their third championship in four years.
The No. 2 seed Aces defeated the No. 4 seed Mercury 97-86 in Game 4 at Mortgage Matchup Center. four-time league. A'ja Wilson, who won league MVP, scored 31 points and won her second WNBA Finals MVP (2023). It's the eighth time in WNBA history that the league MVP went on to win a championship and Finals MVP in the same season.
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"This team has been through h--- and back. Everyone stepped up, we have the greatest player in the world in A'ja Wilson. ... Everyone was huge," Aces guard Chelsea Gray said through tears to ESPN's Holly Rowe. "True champions.
"Winning takes care of everything."
Both the Aces first-round and semifinal playoff series against the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever , respectively, went the distance and were decided by a winner-take-all game. But the Aces were able to close out the first best-of-seven WNBA Finals in four games.
This championship run may be the most improbable for the Aces, who started the season 11-11, marking their worst start since 2018. The WNBA All-Star weekend marked the turning point for the Aces, who ended the regular season on a 19-3 run, including a 16-game win streak that tied the second longest in league history.
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Here's all the highlights from Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Friday:
DeWanna Bonner gets technical foul
Bonner was called for a technical foul with 6:04 remaining in the fourth quarter for arguing with an official after she believed she was fouled on a layup attempt. The Mercury forward is up to eight points, 10 rebounds and one assist. Kahleah Copper later picked up a technical foul with 1:30 remaining.
End of Q3: Aces 76, Mercury 62
The Aces led by as many as 20 points, but the Mercury cut their deficit down to 14 entering the fourth quarter. Only 10 minutes separates the Aces from a WNBA championship. Can the Mercury force a Game 5?
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Aces center A'ja Wilson has 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Jewell Loyd has 12 points off the bench. Chelsea Gray is up to 11 points and four assists, while Dana Evans has 10 points.
Mercury guard Kahleah Copper scored 13 of her 22 points in the third quarter. Alyssa Thomas is up to 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts ejected
Emotions are running high during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani was called for a personal foul on Aces gaurd Dana Evans with 2:41 remaining in the third quarter, and the Mercury trailing the Aces 68-54. Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts immediately walked up to official Gina Cross and argued the call. Tibbetts was called for a double technical foul and ejected from the game.
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Alyssa Thomas returns after injury
Thomas returned to the bench wearing a warmup jacket at the end of halftime. She took off her warmup jacket to reveal heavy taping on her right shoulder. Thomas entered the game to start the third quarter.
Bam Adebayo in the building
Miami Heat superstar Bam Adebayo, the boyfriend of Aces center A'ja Wilson, was spotted sitting courtside at the Mortgage Matchup Center between Wilson's parents for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals.
Halftime: Aces 54, Mercury 38
The Aces put their foot on the gas in the second quarter, outscoring the Mercury 24-17 to take a 16-point lead into halftime. The 3-pointer has been the difference in the first half, with the Aces shooting 52.9% (9-of-17) from beyond the arc. Five different players have knocked down 3s for the Aces, while the Mercury are shooting a dismal 2-of-11 from the 3-point line.
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Aces center A'ja Wilson has a game-high 14 points, four rebounds and two assists. Chelsea Gray has 10 points, while Jewell Loyd added nine points off the bench, all from beyond the arc.
Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas has a team-high 11 points, five rebounds and five assists, but she exited in the closing seconds of the second quarter with an apparent right shoulder injury and is questionable to return. Kahleah Copper has nine points and four rebounds, while DeWanna Bonner has five points.
The Mercury must clean up their turnovers if they have any shot of forcing a Game 5. Phoenix has committed nine turnovers in the first half, which the Aces have converted to 15 points. Meanwhile, the Aces have only one turnover.
Alyssa Thomas exits game with apparent shoulder injury
Mercury All-star forward Alyssa Thomas went down with 9.2 seconds remaining in the second quarter after running into a hard screen set by Aces guard Jewell Loyd. Thomas went down clutching her right shoulder and was quickly surrounded by her team, who used towels to shield her as she remained down. Thomas was helped to her feet after several minutes and went back to the locker room as team personnel held her right arm. Loyd was called for a common foul. Thomas had 11 points, five assists and five rebounds at the time of her exit.
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End of Q1: Aces 30, Mercury 21
Aces center A'ja Wilson stole a pass from the Mercury's Kathryn Westbeld with 21.3 seconds remaining in the first quarter and laid it up to push the Aces' lead back to nine points, the largest of the game.
The Mercury committed four turnovers in the first quarter, leading to seven points for the Aces. The Aces committed no turnovers in the first quarter.
Wilson has got to the free throw line early and often in the first quarter, converting four of her five free throw attempts. Wilson is up to a game-high 12 points, three rebounds and two points. Chelsea Gray and NaLyssa Smith each have five points
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Kahleah Copper leads the Mercury with five points, while Alyssa Thomas and Monique Akoa Makani each have four points.
Game 4 of WNBA Finals tips off
Game 4 of the WNBA Finals is underway at Mortgage Matchup Center and the Aces have a three-point advantage with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter, 16-13.
All of the Aces' starters have scored so far, led by five points from NaLyssa Smith and four points from A'ja Wilson. The Aces are controlling the boards early with five rebounds (compared to two for the Mercury) and two second chance points.
Alyssa Thomas leads the Mercury with four points, while Kalani Brown has three points off the bench.
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What time is Mercury vs. Aces Game 4?
Game 4 of the WNBA Finals between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tipoff at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 10, at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.
Where to watch WNBA Finals: TV, streaming for Game 4
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Date: Friday, Oct. 10
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Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
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Location: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix)
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TV: ESPN
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Stream: Fubo , ESPN Unlimited
WNBA starting lineups
Las Vegas Aces starting lineup
Head coach: Becky Hammon
-
0 Jackie Young | G 6' 0" - Notre Dame
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1 Kierstan Bell | F 6' 1" - Florida Gulf Coast
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3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6' 4" - Baylor
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12 Chelsea Gray | G 5' 11" - Duke
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22 A'ja Wilson | C 6' 5" - South Carolina
Phoenix Mercury starting lineup
Head coach: Nate Tibbetts
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2 Kahleah Copper | G 6' 1" - Rutgers
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4 Natasha Mack | C 6' 4" - Oklahoma State
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8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5' 11" - Cameroon
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14 DeWanna Bonner | F 6' 4" - Auburn
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25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6' 2" - Maryland
Will Mercury's Satou Sabally play in Game 4?
Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally will not play in Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals , the team announced Thursday. The Phoenix forward has been ruled out after suffering a concussion during Game 3 of the Finals on Wednesday at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Las Vegas Aces roster
| # |
NAME |
POS |
EXP |
HT |
COLLEGE |
| 0 |
G |
7 |
6' 0" |
Notre Dame |
|
| 1 |
F |
3 |
6' 1" |
Florida Gulf Coast |
|
| 3 |
F |
3 |
6' 4" |
Baylor |
|
| 11 |
G |
4 |
5' 6" |
Louisville |
|
| 12 |
G |
10 |
5' 11" |
Duke |
|
| 13 |
G |
Rookie |
6' 0" |
Alabama |
|
| 17 |
C |
6 |
6' 4" |
Iowa |
|
| 22 |
C |
7 |
6' 5" |
South Carolina |
|
| 24 |
G |
10 |
5' 11" |
Notre Dame |
|
| 32 |
F |
10 |
6' 4" |
Middle Tennessee State |
|
| 41 |
C |
10 |
6' 3" |
Phoenix Mercury roster
| # |
NAME |
POS |
EXP |
HT |
COLLEGE |
| 0 |
F |
5 |
6' 4" |
Oregon |
|
| 1 |
G |
Rookie |
5' 10" |
DePaul |
|
| 2 |
G |
9 |
6' 1" |
Rutgers |
|
| 4 |
F |
4 |
6' 4" |
Oklahoma State |
|
| 8 |
G |
Rookie |
5' 11" |
Cameroon |
|
| 9 |
G |
Rookie |
6' 1" |
South Florida |
|
| 14 |
G |
16 |
6' 4" |
Auburn |
|
| 21 |
C |
7 |
6' 7" |
Baylor |
|
| 23 |
G |
4 |
5' 8" |
Stanford |
|
| 24 |
F |
Rookie |
6' 3" |
Notre Dame |
|
| 25 |
F |
11 |
6' 2" |
Maryland |
|
| 33 |
G |
8 |
5' 10" |
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aces sweep Mercury for third WNBA title in four seasons
