A'ja Wilson appeared remarkably unfazed. Prior to Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night, the standout center for the Las Vegas Aces displayed a surprising lack of concern, despite her team being without two key starters and having not secured a victory at Barclays Center throughout the season. Throughout the game, her sole focus seemed to be leading her team to triumph.

The mission was successfully achieved. Wilson delivered an impressive performance, registering a game-high 24 points along with 16 rebounds, leading the Aces to a 70-69 victory that sealed a 3-1 series win. This victory marked Las Vegas as the first team to secure consecutive championships in the league since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002. As a result of her outstanding contributions, Wilson earned the title of Finals MVP.

“We just kept the main thing the main thing, and we came out on top,” “I can’t express how proud I am of my teammates. They picked me up when I was down. We cried together, prayed together and now we’re popping champagne together.” following the victory, Wilson shared with ESPN on the court.

It was far from a straightforward victory. The Aces' comfortable six-point lead dwindled to just one point in the closing seconds, and they narrowly escaped defeat as Courtney Vandersloot missed a potential game-winning shot. This turn of events led to Wilson and her teammates celebrating with jubilant dance moves on the court afterward.

“It’s hard to do. It’s hard to get to the Finals multiple times. . . . You never know when you’re going to get this moment, when you’re going to get this opportunity — regardless of what team you have.” Alysha Clark shared her thoughts on the idea of winning back-to-back championships.

“This one’s sweeter, It just is. It’s harder to do. We went from darling to villain real quick. We had our names, our good names slandered. And all these women did was lock in together. And that’s why I’m so confident. It’s because I know exactly who’s in that locker room. I know exactly who I’m going to war with every day. This is probably the tightest group I’ve ever been around. And they’re a special group. I don’t know what else you can throw at them.” Becky Hammon, the coach of the Aces, stated.

Jackie Young contributed 16 points to the Las Vegas team's score, while Cayla George added 11. Clark provided a crucial 10 points and eight rebounds. Although Kelsey Plum struggled with her shooting, going 2 for 12, she still managed to contribute seven points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

Despite being the top seed in the playoffs with a commanding 34-6 regular season record, the Aces found themselves trailing by nine points at halftime. However, they managed to stage a remarkable comeback during a scorching third quarter. They ended the period with an 18-5 scoring run, led by the exceptional performances of Wilson and Clark. In contrast, New York, the second seed with a 32-8 record, struggled in the third quarter, shooting just 5 for 20.

The fourth quarter unfolded as a seesaw battle, with the tension intensifying with each possession, and the noise from the Barclays Center crowd reached such a level that it became challenging for players to hear.

Subsequently, the top overall draft selections resumed their efforts. In a game tied at 64, Young managed to put up four consecutive points, which included an impressive step-through layup. Following that, Wilson made a clutch turnaround jumper despite facing defensive pressure, with just 1:26 left on the clock. Although the Aces didn't score any more points after that, their defense stood strong when it mattered most.

Vandersloot, with a stellar performance of 19 points, came through with a crucial three-pointer from the wing, and Sabrina Ionescu followed up with a successful elbow jumper, narrowing the gap to just one point with 41.7 seconds left on the clock.

Coming out of a timeout, Wilson had an opportunity to extend their lead to three points, but her shot was blocked by Breanna Stewart, who came to her aid. The Liberty called a timeout with 8.8 seconds remaining to prepare for the final play.


Stewart expressed her deep sense of disappointment. “We knew that their game plan was going to be to junk it up and make it difficult, and that’s exactly what happened, stops when we needed it and couldn’t get anything to drop.”

Vandersloot contributed seven rebounds and six assists, while Betnijah Laney put up 15 points. However, Stewart struggled, managing just 10 points on 3-for-17 shooting, despite grabbing 14 rebounds. Jonquel Jones had a subdued performance, recording six points and 11 rebounds.

The Aces faced the absence of their starting point guard Chelsea Gray and center Kiah Stokes, as both were sidelined due to injuries. Gray sustained a noncontact foot injury in the fourth quarter of Game 3 and was seen at Tuesday's practice using a medical scooter, with a walking boot on her left foot. Stokes, on the other hand, woke up on Monday experiencing pain and was spotted at practice wearing a walking boot on her right foot and using crutches. These three players, along with teammate Candace Parker, who had foot surgery in July for a fractured foot, were seated at the end of the bench.

Chelsea Gray, who earned the title of 2022 Finals MVP, usually takes charge for the Aces by setting the tempo and directing the game's rhythm. As a five-time all-star and one of the most accomplished point guards in the league's history, she is known for her on-court leadership. During the game, she was observed providing coaching from the sideline.

In the WNBA Finals, Las Vegas fielded their typical trio of No. 1 picks, consisting of Wilson, Young, and Plum. However, they also included Sixth Player of the Year Clark and center George in the starting lineup. It was George's first start of the year and her debut postseason start, making her only the second player in the league's history to commence her season with a start in the WNBA Finals.

Former WNBA star Sue Bird, rapper Fat Joe, former NFL player Nate Burleson, actor Jason Sudeikis, actress Issa Rae, and author Fran Lebowitz were among those who were spotted. At halftime, New York rappers Jim Jones and Juelz Santana performed.