The Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury went into the 2025 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) finals with fans on both sides having high hopes for a championship title. Despite the close matchup and the first league finals with the best-of-seven format, the Aces swept the series 4-0 to finish off the 2025 WNBA season.
Game one was incredibly close. The Mercury, led by Alyssa Thomas, kept the score close to A’ja Wilson and the Aces. According to the Associated Press (AP) recap of the night, the largest lead was nine points, with 12 lead changes and nine tie scores overall.
However, when it came down to the wire, the Mercury could not finish. Thomas missed two free throws with 24.6 seconds left and Satou Sabally missed the final three-point attempt that would’ve tied it with two seconds to go, making the final score 89-86 Aces. Despite these shortcomings from the Mercury, each team played well, seemingly promising an interesting rest of the series.
Game two ended with a significantly larger score gap. Wilson and Jackie Young led the Aces in scoring, with Kahleah Copper and Sabally scoring 23 and 22, respectively. Thomas only managed 10 points for the entire game. The final score was 91-78 Aces, and it wasn’t close.
Yet, the Mercury’s lackluster performance was not the talk of the game. Young, recording 32 points, scored 21 of those in the third quarter, setting a new record for WNBA Finals scoring in a single quarter. This also tied her career playoff high for points.
The teams headed to Phoenix for an absolute whiplash in game three. Las Vegas dominated early, creating a healthy lead that would hold all the way to the end of the third quarter. However, the Mercury had other plans. They closed the gap in the fourth, with two three-pointers by Copper and DeWanna Bonner in the last three minutes to make it a one point game.
But Wilson pulled through for the Aces yet again. In the final seconds, she hit a three-pointer over the heads of Thomas and Bonner to steal the win for the Aces 90-88. Wilson not only brought her team the win, she also made WNBA postseason history with 291 points over 11 postseason games.
After losing three in a row, it’s hard to come back and fight to stave off the fourth and final win to kill the season. The Mercury were not up to the task, especially with Sabally having left with an injury in the fourth quarter of game three. Coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected following two technical fouls, damaging the Mercury’s chances even more.
Wilson and the Aces dominated the Phoenix arena in game four, but it wasn’t just a one-woman show. According to the AP Recap, five players scored in the double figures. Wilson did win Most Valuable Player (MVP), but she had help from Young, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans to acquire the championship in the fourth game.
There is still much to be proud of on the Mercury’s side. Many expected the Minnesota Lynx to face either the Aces or the Indiana Fever, but just as the Aces eliminated the Fever, the Mercury bested the number one seeded Lynx in the semifinals. It is impressive that the Mercury made it to the finals, even if they were swept by Las Vegas.
Barring a lockout from delays in a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the WNBA will be back to start their 2026 season next May. In the meantime, WNBA fans can get their women’s basketball fill through the college season beginning Nov. 3, or watch their favorite stars through either Unrivaled or Athletes Unlimited.
