The New York Liberty claimed the 2023 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup after defeating the Las Vegas Aces, 82-63, Wednesday (Philippine time). It was the third meeting between the two superteams with the victor earning the coveted cash prize and some well-deserved hardware.
Much like their previous encounter, the game was decided in the second half where the Liberty once again pulled away thanks to precise shooting and lockdown defense.
Here are a few takeaways from the league’s annual midseason showcase:
3-pointers remain key
Both the Liberty and the Aces entered the Commissioner’s Cup as the two best 3-point shooting teams. New York currently leads all teams in both attempts (29.3) and makes (11.1) while Las Vegas is close behind with a little over nine 3s on 24 shots. The advantage of the Aces is their league-leading 38.9 percent shooting from deep.
On Wednesday, it was all Liberty.
Led by the sensational shooting of Marines Johaness, the Liberty shot the lights out and went 15-of-35 from beyond the arc. Johaness was responsible for five of those to finish with 17 points while Sabrina Ionescu, the 3-point shooting champion at this year’s All-Star Game, caught fire late and drilled three backbreaking triples to hold off the Aces.
In comparison, the Aces went 5-of-26 from deep for an abysmal 19.2 percent. Credit the Liberty’s defense as they stuck to their gameplan and made the Aces work for every shot. They mostly switched on the perimeter, which left no room for Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, or Chelsea Gray to operate. Impressively, not only did the Liberty do a tremendous job on Las Vegas’ shooters but they also clogged the paint as A’ja Wilson struggled for just nine points on 2-for-10 shooting.
The 3-pointer has been one of the primary weapons for the Aces since Becky Hammon took over last season. They’ve finally met a team that does not only shoot the ball extremely well but also knows how to stop opponents from getting their shots up.
Who will step up from the Aces’ bench?
The Aces are obviously led by their four best players: Wilson, Young, Plum, and Gray. On most nights, the four look unstoppable. A’ja is having another MVP season while the trio are deadly scorers who can singlehandedly decide a game. But like in any good championship-caliber team, you need a little something coming off the bench or from other role players.
If you solely look at Wednesday’s box score, you’d think that the Aces are in deep trouble when it comes to the lack of firepower outside of their Big Four. But we have to remember that they're missing Candace Parker who remains indefinitely out after undergoing surgery for her foot. Parker provides playmaking, rebounding, and a whole lot of defensive prowess that makes the Aces go to another level. Aside from all the intangibles, Parker’s absence has also hurt Las Vegas in its rotations.
Kiah Stokes usually comes off the bench but now she’s a starter. The veteran Alysha Clark, is still their top sixth woman but she’s been tasked to do a lot more when the Aces go small. Clark is a tremendous defender and can guard a variety of opponents but it’s not the same when Parker was around.
Still, Stokes and Clark have actually been playing top-notch basketball prior to the Commissioner’s Cup game that’s why the Aces have hardly missed a beat since Parker went down. But against a fellow superteam in the Liberty, you need more from your two role players. Stokes played only 16 minutes and registered just six rebounds while Clark scored just four points and missed all her five attempts from deep against New York.
The Liberty are figuring it out
When the Aces and Liberty first met in late June, there was still a wide gap between the defending champions and the would-be contenders. Since then, the Liberty have racked up their play and have cracked the code in beating the Aces.
The blueprint was made in their second encounter earlier this month when they held the Aces to just 61 points. The same defensive approach worked wonders in the Commissioner’s Cup as they limited the Aces, who average 94.0 points, to just 63. They have made life difficult for the reigning MVP Wilson in the past two meetings. They’ve also cut down on the Aces’ two other primary weapons - their outside shooting and their running game.
It also helps that the Liberty have finally utilized Jonquel Jones. The former league MVP earned Commissioner’s Cup MVP honors by tallying a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds and added two blocks. Earlier in the season, it seemed that New York and Jones had a feeling out phase. We saw more time delegated to Nyara Sabally or Stefanie Dolson while primarily relying on Breanna Stewart to carry them offensively.
But the increased involvement of Jones has opened up more opportunities for everyone. Now you see Johaness and Ionescu getting more space in the perimeter and starters Betnijah Laney and Courtney Vandersloot earning more shots as well. Defensively, Jones has also upped her game, acting as a last line of defense.
The Commissioner’s Cup has no effect on the standings as the Aces still pace the league with a 27-3 record while the Liberty are still 24-6. But make no mistake, the Liberty are gaining momentum and the Commissioner’s Cup trophy is proof of that.
