WNBA: Will the Las Vegas Aces, MVP A’ja Wilson sweep the Seattle Storm?

The No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces got here out victorious of their first sport of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, however in no way was it a straightforward feat. In a matchup that noticed them trailing early to the No. 5-seed Seattle Storm, it was the Aces’ championship pedigree and fourth-quarter defensive shutout that propelled them to the much-needed win. The back-to-back champs are one win away from advancing to the semifinals, and getting one other step nearer to historical past.

Answering the decision

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The playoffs are the last word sink-or-swim state of affairs; all of it comes down to those video games. What separates good groups from nice groups is having gamers who can present up at any given second and be the much-needed enhance to safe priceless wins inside a sequence.

In Sport 1, that was Tiffany Hayes’ function, and he or she performed it in addition to you may’ve imagined, completely displaying her veteran expertise. In a sport that had the Aces trying sluggish on the soar, Hayes rose to the event, offering a priceless 20 factors, 4 rebounds and one help off the bench. She inserted a much-needed battery within the Aces’ again and stored them from falling right into a 0-1 sequence gap, the place an opportunity of elimination awaited on the opposite facet. The questions now are: Can Hayes do it once more? Will the Aces want her to?

Protection wins video games

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The Storm got here out of the gate trying unstoppable in Sport 1, till the Aces awakened from their prolonged pre-game nap and confirmed precisely why they’re a top-five protection within the WNBA (and have the two-time defending and presumably back-to-back-to-back DPOY). They held the Storm to a virtually scoreless fourth quarter; Seattle related on a staggering zero subject objectives, with their solely factors coming off of two free throws in your entire quarter, tying the WNBA document for fewest factors in 1 / 4 of a playoff sport since 2006.

In Sport 2, the Aces’ project is similar: include the Storm’s offense by means of an emphasis on protection.

Can the Aces convey out the broom?

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Sure, they will.

If Vegas can handle to string collectively a greater offensive displaying, mixed with a fair half-as-good defensive displaying, then it’s extraordinarily doubtless that the Aces will likely be awaiting their second-round opponent (doubtless the No. 1-seed New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals) earlier than later.

Seattle will come out with a vengeance in Sport 2, but when the Aces can faucet into their championship id and drive the Storm to play with their backs towards the wall, the probabilities of a sweep are fairly excessive. It should require each participant in black and silver to step up, but when anybody can do it, they will.

Sport info

No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces (1-0) vs. No. 5-seed Seattle Storm (0-1)

When: Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET

The place: Michelob ULTRA Enviornment in Las Vegas, NV

Find out how to watch: ESPN

Aces damage report: none

Storm damage report: none