Aces eliminate Storm, book Finals rematch with Liberty in semis
WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson recorded 24 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Las Vegas Aces advance from the first round of the playoffs with an 83-76 victory over the Seattle Storm.
The No. 4 Aces will face the top-seeded New York Liberty in the semifinals. The matchup is a rematch of last year's championship, which Las Vegas won in four games. However, the Liberty swept the Aces 3-0 in the teams' season series.
Las Vegas guard Kelsey Plum believes the Liberty improved since the Finals last year.
"If you go down the line like pound for pound, individually, all of them are better," Plum said, according to SB Nation's Noa Dalzell.
The Aces, who've won 11 consecutive home playoff games, are trying to be the first team since the Houston Comets to win three championships in a row. The Comets won four straight from 1997-2000 in the WNBA's first four seasons.
Plum led Las Vegas in scoring with 29 points. Chelsea Gray added 12 points and nine assists.
Wilson surpassed former teammate Candace Parker and Tamika Catchings for the most 20-point, 10-rebound games in the postseason with 13.
For the Storm, four out of five starters scored in double digits, led by Gabby Williams' 20-point effort. All-Star guard Jewell Loyd struggled coming off a knee injury, shooting 3-of-11 from the field for nine points.
Storm starting center Ezi Magbegor returned after missing the last four contests with a concussion.
The series between the Aces and Liberty begins Sunday.