Ahead of Game 3 of the 2023 WNBA Finals, history is on the minds of both the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty.
After a blowout victory in Game 2, the Aces are one win away from becoming the WNBA's first back-to-back champion since the Sparks in 2001 and 2002. If Las Vegas completes the sweep, it would become the first-ever WNBA team to go undefeated in the postseason after earning sweeps in the opening round and semifinals.
On the flip side, the Liberty will look to extend the series with a win on Sunday. New York is up against history, as it looks to become the first-ever WNBA team to overcome a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series.
Here are three things to keep an eye on in Game 3 of the Finals.
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Aces' offensive prowess
To say that Las Vegas put on an offensive clinic in Game 2 wouldn't be a strong enough statement to describe its dominance. The numbers support that notion, too.
In the first quarter alone, the Aces erupted for 38 points while shooting 14 of 20 (70.0 percent) from the field and 6 of 10 (60.0 percent) from the field. Even more impressive is that Las Vegas assisted on 12 of those 14 field goals.
As it turned out, those numbers proved to be sustainable, too.
Las Vegas finished the game shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 44.9 percent from 3-point range and a perfect 100.0 percent from the charity stripe. Even more impressive? The Aces assisted on 31 of its 37 field goals in the game and looked quite comfortable offensively, with Kelsey Plum (23), Jackie Young (24) and A'ja Wilson (26) all scoring over 20 points in the game.
And to put it all in perspective, the Aces have posted an offensive rating of 128.5 (!) in the Finals. One more offensive clinic might be all it needs to put a bow on a flawless postseason.
3-point shooting, again
It was a talking point following Game 1 and, after yet another icy performance from deep, it's a talking point after Game 2.
New York, which was historically efficient from beyond the arc during the 2023 regular season, is struggling in the WNBA Finals. After shooting 8 of 35 in Game 2, the Liberty are now shooting 17 of 64 (26.6 percent) from deep in the series.
Making matters worse is that it's the starters that have been plagued by the slump, with Sabrina Ionescu (2 of 7), Betnijah Laney (2 of 9) and Breanna Stewart (1 of 6) combining to shoot 5 of 22 in the Game 2 loss.
The responsibility doesn't fall on one player, but New York will certainly look for improved shooting from Ionescu, who set records with her shooting during the regular season. She's far from a one-dimensional player but Ionescu's shooting opens other dynamics of her game.
Simply put, the Liberty's offense is unlocked when Ionescu's cooking.
While it is a perimeter-oriented team, New York doesn't necessarily need to hit a large number of 3s to win. The head-to-head series between these two teams in 2023 has shown that improved efficiency is all the Liberty needs in order to keep up.
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The X-Factors
It feels strange to call a former No. 1 overall pick an X-Factor, but Jackie Young often goes overlooked given the fact she is one of four former top picks on Las Vegas' roster.
Young, who is certainly in consideration to be named Finals MVP, is also a de-facto X-Factor given the Aces' lack of depth — they've been rolling with a six-player rotation all postseason.
Sixth Player of the Year Alysha Clark also fits the X-Factor bill, but Young's defense and scoring explosion may have caught some by surprise. Young is a player you can't afford to overlook, but can't get the defensive attention she deserves because of the talent of her teammates.
As a result, she makes you pay.
For New York, Marine Johannes was an X-Factor in Game 1 due to her shooting. She took a step back in Game 2 and was unable to make as much of an impact during her 19 minutes on the floor.
A big offensive showing from Johannes would alleviate some pressure on New York's starting unit. The Liberty will have to step up on defense, but there are parts of the Aces' offense that are virtually impossible to stop.
With that in mind, an efficient night from Johannes would be the first of many steps needed in order to keep up with Vegas.
