LAS VEGAS (September 15, 2023)—The No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces are 1 win away from advancing to the WNBA Semifinals for the 5th-straight year as they host the 8th-seeded Chicago Sky, Sunday, Sept. 17, in Game 2 of the First Round of the 2023 Playoffs. Tip at Michelob ULTRA Arena is slated for 12 pm PT, and the game is being broadcast on ABC.
Should the Aces win Sunday, they would then have a week off before hosting Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals on Sunday, Sept. 24, against the winner of the Dallas vs. Atlanta series. The 2011-2017 Minnesota Lynx hold the record for most consecutive seasons advancing to the Semis with 7. The 2013-18 Mercury made 6-straight, and the 1999-2003 Sparks, and 2011-15 Fever both played in 5 in a row.
The Aces took a 1-0 lead over the Sky in their best-of-three series with an 87-59 victory in front of 12,927 fans Wednesday evening at T-Mobile Arena. Chelsea Gray paced 5 Las Vegas players in double figures, scoring a game-high 20 points, while the Aces’ defense limited Chicago to 33.3 percent shooting from the field.
Chicago’s 59-point performance Wednesday was tied for its lowest scoring output of the year (vs. Washington, June 22, 2023). It was also the Sky’s lowest-ever scoring total in the franchise’s postseason history, and the fewest points the Aces have ever allowed in the playoffs in their history.
Las Vegas swept the season series between the clubs winning once at home—93-80 on June 11—and twice on the road— 107-95 on July 25, and 94-87 on August 24.
The Aces and Sky have squared off against one another on 1 other occasion in the postseason. Four years ago today, Las Vegas upended Chicago 93-92 at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center in a game that would become defined by “The Hamby Heave.”