The Las Vegas Aces will try to keep their season alive on Friday night when they host the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals, trailing the best-of-five series two games to none. The game arrives one day after Aces center A’ja Wilson was named the league’s Most Valuable Player for a record fifth time.
Wilson’s honor, announced Thursday, made her the first player in league history to win the award three consecutive years. She averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and a career-best 3.2 assists this season, leading the league in scoring for a third straight year. The Aces planned a pregame ceremony to honor the achievement — and Wilson asked to skip it, keeping the spotlight on a team that has reached the semifinals for the eighth consecutive season but now faces elimination at home.
The defending champions built the league’s second-ranked offense around Wilson, scoring 21 more points per 100 possessions with her on the floor, according to league data. But Golden State has controlled the series’ opening two games, and Las Vegas must now win three straight to return to the Finals — starting Friday, where the Aces are 31-13 season form and home crowd in their favor.
The other semifinal resumes tonight as well, with New York hosting Atlanta at Barclays Center. By the end of the weekend, the WNBA Finals matchup could be set — or both series could be headed for deciding games.
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