The Las Vegas Aces already have one hand on the 2025 title. It is not just about the 2-0 lead going into Game 3, but how the Aces have won those games. The bench came into the spotlight in Game 1 with Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans punching well above their weight in the Aces’ win. Game 2 was a return to normal as the Aces’ big three of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray ran circles around the Mercury defense.

This pattern sounds eerily similar to Meghan Hall of USA Today.  “You’ve got role players going off in game one, and now the stars are going off in game two. And that to me is what makes championship teams. We think about the New York Liberty last year, right? You had Nyara, who was the X-factor throughout that series, right? Then you had Sabrina Ionescu hit a big shot that wins that game three, then Stewie starts going off. Then JJ is quietly the glue that holds it all together, right? Those themes from championship teams like carry over.” She said on ‘WNBA On NBC’ with Natalie Esquire. 

If we ran parallels between the two teams, the order is not exactly correct, but the structure is. Nyara Sabally was an important piece off the bench for the Liberty across the Finals series against the Minnesota Lynx, but with limited minutes. However, she came into her own in the pivotal Game 5, scoring 13 points and 7 rebounds on the night. “We needed a spark and she was that,” Breanna Stewart had said after the game.

Ionescu was relatively quiet in the series, but still gave them the Game 3 win with her outside shooting. She was controlling the offense with her creativity despite limited scoring, just like Chelsea Gray on the Aces in 2025. Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson are the ever dependable players of their respective teams, providing enough points even on their bad days. Jonquel Jones (2024 Finals MVP)and Jackie Young are the consistent Number 2 performers who take over the spotlight time and time again. 

Before Vegas starts the title celebrations, the series isn’t over just yet. Aces will need to keep this up on the road. 2024 was a 5-game series, while the Aces will need to best the Mercury in a 7-game one. That is a requirement of more consistency, but like Hall further said, “If this is a championship run by the Aces, we will be talking about these sorts of themes that started early on in the series, and really and truly actually started back in the regular season during their stretch and run.” However, for the Las Vegas Aces to nail their names to the 2025 ring, they need to solve this one problem from their first two games. 

Las Vegas Aces Need To Be Patient

It’s hard to find problems in the Game 2 Aces win. They had A’ja Wilson taking over the first half and Jackie Young owning the third quarter. The Mercury was flat for most of the night. Kahleah Copper cooled off after halftime, Alyssa Thomas got handcuffed by fouls, and Satou Sabally didn’t hit the gas until the back stretch. But one thing they did better than the Aces across the game was forcing turnovers. Aces conceded 13 turnovers to Mercury’s 11, which could be vital as the series goes on. 

“That margin for error with the turnovers will be a big deal in game three. How do you manage playing with that pace and tempo but being safe with the ball?” A reporter asked A’ja Wilson after the game. 

Wilson replied, “I think the biggest thing for us is just to be patient. I think we were kind of amped considering how game one went. I mean, they were knocking down shots left and right, and so I think we were on high alert when it came to that, and it kind of sped us up. But I think if we’re just patient on both sides of the basketball, particularly the defensive side, and just kind of let our defense do the work.”

The Aces were not the fastest team in 2025, with a 7th-best Pace of 94.92 in the regular season. The Mercury is the opposite, and the Aces got caught up in the rhythm.  The ‘patient’ mantra applies otherwise, too. If the Phoenix roars back early in Game 3, the Aces shouldn’t panic. It’s easy to be in a previous game hangover, like Wilson said. They should trust in their caliber to get their spots and capitalize on their opportunities.