WNBA Finals Game 2 Recap: Las Vegas Aces Take Commanding 2-0 Lead Over Phoenix Mercury
LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces are now just two wins away from securing their third WNBA title in four years. The No. 2 seed Aces took a commanding 2-0 lead over the No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury in the best-of-seven 2025 WNBA Finals with a 91-78 victory in Game 2 on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
Jackie Young Leads the Charge
Aces guard Jackie Young dominated the game, finishing with a game-high 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Young scored an incredible 21 points in the third quarter alone, setting a WNBA Finals record for the most points scored in a single quarter.
Interestingly, Young had been absent from practice the day before, dressed in street clothes. Head coach Becky Hammon revealed that Young was battling fatigue, but she appeared revitalized during Game 2. “Last game, she had no legs. No lift. Apparently, she went and found some legs because she was cooking today. She’s a bad, bad girl,” Hammon remarked.
A’ja Wilson’s Dominance Continues
A’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds, proving once again why she is one of the league’s top players. Wilson scored 20 of her 28 points in the first half, becoming only the third player in WNBA Finals history to score 20 or more in one half. Along with 14 rebounds, she also contributed three assists and one steal.
Wilson just missed recording her ninth 30-plus point playoff game. Had she reached 30 alongside Young, they would have been the first duo in WNBA Finals history to each score 30 or more points in the same game. “I dropped the ball on that one. Sorry, Jack,” Wilson joked after the game.
Las Vegas Big Three Unstoppable
The Aces’ superstar trio of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray were almost unstoppable throughout the game. Together, they combined for 70 of the Aces’ 91 points. Gray contributed a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, while Wilson and Young powered the offense.
Head coach Becky Hammon praised the trio, saying, “They’re studs. That is why the expectation is so high, because of those three.”
Phoenix Mercury’s Big Three Fight Hard
On the other side, the Mercury leaned heavily on their own star trio of Alyssa Thomas (10 points, six rebounds, five assists), Satou Sabally (22 points, nine rebounds), and Kahleah Copper (23 points, three rebounds), who combined for 55 of Phoenix’s 78 points.
Alyssa Thomas Sets Assist Record
Despite the loss, Alyssa Thomas achieved a significant milestone, becoming the all-time leader in assists in WNBA postseason history by surpassing Courtney Vandersloot with 391 assists and counting. Thomas finished the game with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals, a bright spot for the Mercury amidst their struggles.
Concerns Over Satou Sabally’s Injury
A major concern for Phoenix was an apparent ankle injury sustained by Satou Sabally at the 3:57 mark of the fourth quarter after a collision with A’ja Wilson. The foul was ruled a common foul, but Sabally did not return to the game and was visibly limping as she headed to the bench.
Postgame, coach Nate Tibbetts said Sabally was pulled as a precaution, emphasizing the team’s cautious approach moving forward. When asked how she was feeling, Sabally simply responded, “Fine.”
Phoenix’s Three-Point Shooting Struggles
The Mercury struggled mightily from beyond the arc. After Kahleah Copper opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, Phoenix missed 15 consecutive attempts and finished shooting just 17.9% (5-of-28) from three-point range. This marked their second-worst 3-point performance of the postseason.
Three-point shooting was critical to the Mercury’s two double-digit comeback wins over the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals, but Sunday’s cold shooting left them unable to keep pace. Coach Tibbetts noted, “We tried to force it a little. We were pretty stagnant offensively.”
The Mercury are 2-1 in the playoffs when making 10 or more three-pointers, highlighting how integral outside shooting is to their success.
Coaching and Rotation Decisions Under Scrutiny
Coach Nate Tibbetts’ inexperience in the WNBA Finals appeared evident in Game 2, particularly in his rotation choices and timeouts. He relied on an eight-person rotation and did not utilize his bench depth effectively until the lead ballooned close to 20 points.
Bench players DeWanna Bonner, Sami Whitcomb, and Kathryn Westbeld combined for only eight points. Tibbetts did not call a single timeout during the Aces’ dominant 30-point third quarter, missing opportunities to disrupt their momentum.
Bench Production Lacking for the Mercury
The Mercury, who entered the postseason with the highest scoring bench in the league, have seen limited contributions from their reserves in the Finals. Their bench was outscored 41-16 in Game 1 and 16-8 in Game 2.
DeWanna Bonner was limited to four points on 1-of-5 shooting in 23 minutes, while Sami Whitcomb played 14 scoreless minutes (0-of-3 FG, 0-of-2 3PT). The lack of offensive support beyond their Big Three has hampered Phoenix’s ability to stay competitive.
Officiating Controversy Continues
Officiating once again became a controversial topic during Game 2. Several calls and missed calls frustrated players and fans alike. Phoenix star Alyssa Thomas was vocal about what she felt were missed fouls, while chants of “Refs, you suck” echoed throughout Michelob Ultra Arena, reflecting the crowd’s displeasure.
Looking Ahead
With a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, the Las Vegas Aces are in a commanding position to capture their third WNBA title in four years. The Phoenix Mercury will need to address their shooting woes, injury concerns, and deepen their rotation if they hope to turn the series around.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Finals continue.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA Finals Game 2 winners, losers: Jackie Young, A’ja Wilson dominate.
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