"The longest regular season in WNBA history could be followed by the longest WNBA Finals. For the first time, the series is a best-of-seven, and the teams that have played the best so far in the postseason have advanced for a high-powered matchup between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury. The Aces will host Game 1 on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). As the higher seed, Las Vegas will also host Game 2 and, if necessary, Games 5 and 7."
"The Mercury are the first team in WNBA history to reach the Finals twice in a five-year span without a single carryover player. Their rebuild this season brought in Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and DeWanna Bonner, among others. The Aces, meanwhile, have five players who have been with Las Vegas since at least 2022, including No. 1 picks A'ja Wilson (2018) and Jackie Young (2019). The Aces revamped around their core, which includes Chelsea Gray, but they have more experience playing together than the Mercury."
"ESPN BET odds: -135 Projected starters (playoff stats): G Chelsea Gray (10.9 PPG, 7.3 APG, 2.3 SPG), G Jackie Young (20.5 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.8 RPG), F Kierstan Bell (2.4 PPG), F NaLyssa Smith (8.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG), C A'ja Wilson (26.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.8 BPG, 2.6 SPG) Insider intel: In some ways, the Aces' biggest opponent in the Finals remains themselves. Wilson lamented after Game 5 of the semifinals that their losses to the Fever were especially frustrating "because it felt like the losses were self-inflicted. It felt like we had control over it and we just did not show up. And those hurt more so than like, 'Dang, they just hit more shots than us.'""
WNBA postseason will feature a first-ever best-of-seven Finals between the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 Phoenix Mercury after the longest regular season in league history. Las Vegas will host Games 1, 2 and, if needed, 5 and 7, while Phoenix reached the Finals twice in five years with an entirely new roster built around Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and DeWanna Bonner. The Aces retain a core including A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray with more continuity and experience together. Playoff narratives have included officiating, injuries and collective bargaining tensions, yet the on-court play has often been high-level.
Read at ESPN.com
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