LAS VEGAS — Ultimately, the talent of A’ja Wilson couldn’t save the day.

This season’s MVP has displayed exceptional performance, earning her third MVP title with an outstanding year. However, throughout the season, the Las Vegas Aces often struggled due to inconsistent play from their star guard trio.

On Sunday, this ongoing issue reappeared, resulting in the end of their playoff run.

The top-seeded New York Liberty, led by Sabrina Ionescu’s 22 points, and Breanna Stewart’s 19 points along with 14 rebounds, triumphed over the Las Vegas Aces with a score of 76-62 in Game 4 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, winning the semifinal series 3-1.

Ionescu, who managed only four points in Game 3, noted on Sunday that she focused on “reading the game, realizing what I could improve from the last game and adjusting my play quickly. Watching film helps identify areas for development.”

That might not fully capture her performance. She kicked off the game hitting a three-pointer, followed by a skillful floater while drawing a foul, then sank two more three-pointers—all within the first quarter. This surge provided the Liberty a 23-19 lead and the energy boost they desperately needed after Game 3.

This defeat marks the end of the Aces’ effort to become the first team to achieve a three-peat in the WNBA since 1999.

The Liberty are set to face the winner of the Minnesota Lynx-Connecticut Sun matchup in the Finals, commencing Thursday in New York. As the top seed, New York will enjoy home-court advantage throughout the series, following the same home-home-away-away-away-home format as seen in the semifinals.

Stewart emphasized that while they are excited to return to the Finals for the second consecutive year, “we haven’t accomplished anything yet.”

The New York-Las Vegas series was a repeat of the 2023 Finals, where Las Vegas emerged victorious in four games, claiming the title on New York’s home court. This rivalry is widely regarded as the most intense in the WNBA.

Two seasons ago, the Liberty revamped their roster through free agency with the clear goal of taking down the Aces, who had captured the 2022 championship. Last season, clips that circulated on social media showcased Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon telling her team, “This team was assembled to challenge you.”

And on Sunday, the Liberty proved her statement true.

Wilson contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds while Kelsey Plum added 17 points; however, the Aces’ other guards, Chelsey Gray (seven points on 3-of-8 shooting) and Jackie Young (four points on 1-of-10 shooting), struggled offensively.

“I’ve always tried to convey to this group that the success of our guards—Chels, Kels, and Jack—depends on their teamwork,” Hammon stated. “Their individual excellence flourishes when they work well together, and we just didn’t shoot effectively this year.”

This inefficiency was evident on Sunday as well, with Las Vegas hitting only 32.8% of their shots, including a mere 23.3% from beyond the arc. The guard trio combined for a poor shooting percentage of 26.4% (9-of-34) overall.

Meanwhile, the Liberty managed to connect on nearly 40% of their attempts and 41.7% from three-point range. The standout shooting performance came from Ionescu (5-of-8 from three), and when not plagued by foul trouble, forward Jonquel Jones (3-of-5). After a tightly contested third quarter, the Liberty surged in the fourth, outscoring the Aces 23-11, with Jones hitting two crucial three-pointers: one at 4:57 to push New York to a 67-53 lead, and another at 2:04 to extend their lead to 74-56. She totaled 14 points for the game.

“She was a key player for us,” New York coach Sandy Brondello said, recalling an instance where she collided with Jones on the sideline, prompting both to tumble. Brondello quickly got back up, joking, “I’ve still got it.”

“Jones was vital for us in this series,” Brondello noted. “She faced frustration with her fouls, but I felt she kept her composure and hit some major shots for us.”

The Liberty also had a series of layups that contributed to their scoring. Hammon had repeatedly emphasized the importance of minimizing easy scoring opportunities for New York, and her intense timeout in Game 2, where she expressed her frustrations, went viral.

That issue resurfaced in the fourth quarter on Sunday, as New York started the period with four layups within their first six possessions, establishing a 61-53 lead with just over six minutes remaining.

“The layup issue continues to frustrate me,” Hammon admitted. “You cannot allow teams to capitalize on layups.”

Reflecting on the loss, Hammon commended her team’s resilience and made clear her loyalty, stating, “I would choose that locker room every time.” However, she became emotional when speaking about Wilson, whose record-setting season will not culminate in a championship.

Hammon also shared some lighter moments in the postgame discussion.

This loss sets the stage for a transformative offseason for the Aces. In December, the league will conduct its first expansion draft in over a decade, with the Golden State Valkyries joining for the 2025 season. Each franchise can protect six players, meaning the Aces’ core group of Wilson, Plum, Gray, and Young is likely to stay intact—but the overall roster could see significant changes next year.

When asked about necessary changes from an organizational perspective, Hammon laughed and requested a week to contemplate. She acknowledged that this offseason This is not the typical approach for the Aces.

“We’ve never had exit meetings before,” Hammon remarked. “We usually celebrate instead.”