GAME RECAP: Aces Advances To Semifinals With Record-Setting 117-80 Win Over Mercury

LAS VEGAS, NV (August 20, 2022)—The Las Vegas Aces advanced to the WNBA Semifinals for the fourth straight season Saturday evening, completing the sweep of the Mercury in a 117-80 victory.

Box Score/Video Highlights

KEY RUNS

First Quarter (Las Vegas 34, Phoenix 30)

Las Vegas went on a 12-4 run to turn a two-point edge into a 10-point advantage midway through the quarter. Phoenix cut the lead to three on two occasions.  The Aces set a WNBA playoff record by making their first 10 shots from the field. They tied a WNBA playoff record by making their first 7 three-pointers in a game. Their first miss from the field came with 3:09 to go in the period.  Diamond DeShields led all scorers with 15 points. Las Vegas made 76.5 percent of its field goal attempts, while the Mercury made 63.6 percent of their shots.

Second Quarter (Las Vegas 63, Phoenix 54)

The Aces scored 14 of the first 18 points of the second to go up 48-34 with 5:50 to go before intermission. Las Vegas extended its lead to as many as 19. Diamond DeShields led all scorers with 19 points. Kaela Davis added 14 off the bench. The Aces had four players in double figures—Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray with 15 points each, A’ja Wilson with 13and Kelsey Plum with 11. Gray added 7 assists in the first 20 minutes.

Third Quarter (Las Vegas 93, Phoenix 59)

The Aces scored 12 of the first 16 points coming out of intermission to extend their lead to 27, 75-48. They extended it to as many as 36. Chelsea Gray has a career-playoff-high-tying 27 points at the end of the third.

Fourth Quarter (Las Vegas 117, Phoenix 80)

Both teams played their reserves for almost the entirety of the fourth. Kierstan Bell scored 11 points on 4 for 4 shooting from the field and 3 of 3 three-pointers.

KEY STATS

It has been 890 days since Breonna Taylor was murdered. Recently, four Louisville Metro Police Department officers were charged by the FBI with federal crimes in relation to her death.

It has been 184 days since Russia’s wrongful detention of Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner began.

Las Vegas went 23 for 36 from three-point range, while the Mercury went 5 for 23.

The Aces committed 12 turnovers which the Mercury flipped into 13 points, while Phoenix had 14 miscues which Las Vegas turned into 21 points.

The Aces went 12 for 14 from the free throw line while Phoenix went 7 for 14.

The Mercury outscored Aces 36-26 in points in the paint.

Las Vegas made 64.1 percent of its field goal attempts (second highest percentage in WNBA history), while the Mercury made 46.6 percent of theirs.

GAME NOTES

The Aces set WNBA playoff records for most made three pointers in a quarter (8) and in a half (11), and a WNBA playoff/regular season record with 23 made three pointers.

The Aces set a WNBA playoff record by making its first 10 shots from the field, and tied a WNBA playoff record by making its first 7 three-point attempts of the game.

The Aces’ 117 points is tied for the second most in WNBA playoff history, the most in Aces franchise playoff history, and the second most in franchise history

The Aces 64.1 percent shooting from the field was the second highest in WNBA playoff history.

The Aces 31 assists are the most in a postseason game in franchise history and the third most in WNBA playoff history.

Chelsea Gray tied her playoff career high with 27 points. Her 7 made threes are the third most in WNBA postseason history.

Kelsey Plum has scored 20 or more points in 6 of her last 7 playoff games.

NEXT OPPONENT

The Aces will host the winner of the Seattle vs. Washington series in the WNBA Semifinals. Games 1 and 2 are in Las Vegas on August 28 (1 pm PT tip on ESPN) and August 31 (7 pm PT tip on ESPN2.)