WNBA Semifinals Preview: Will Aces or Liberty prevail in 2023 Finals rematch?

Yahoo Sports women basketball writer Cassandra Negley gives her take on the intense semifinal matchup we expect to see between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty, and notes which players she thinks will stand out in the series.

View more

Video Transcript

It’s a W NBA finals rematch in the semifinals last year, Las Vegas won their second consecutive championship by winning game four of the New York Liberty.

Well, now these two teams are meeting in the semifinals for a spot in the finals on the line.

The Liberty went 30 in the regular season against Las Vegas this year.

Now, that’s a little bit misleading.

Chelsea Gray missed some games.

Asia Wilson missed a game.

Courtney Vandersloot missed a game, a lot of different personnel for each of these teams.

Game one and two of the best of five series are in New York.

Unlike last year when this series started in Las Vegas, could that change things?

Will the Liberty defend their home court and have that advantage heading back to Las Vegas quite possibly.

Now, this matchup is going to be highlighted by Asia Wilson who was just named MVP and Breanna Stewart.

They have five mvps combined.

Plenty of gold medals.

Just two of the best players in the world who are going to be going at each other, both on offense and on defense, but who around them is really going to step up.

I have my eyes on John Quell, Jones.

John Quell has been to the finals quite a few times.

She was very emotional last year after the Liberty fell into a hole, she wants to win a title and she is a key for the Liberty when she has a double double, the Liberty are in an incredible spot to win.

Now, what’s different for the Aces?

I don’t know if this is really different, but it’s certainly a very good sign that Chelsea Gray looks like Chelsea Gray we’ve known in the last two playoff series.

She has hit clutch buckets an incredible passer all of the time, but she looks far more healthy than she was earlier in the season coming off.

That injury that should concern the Liberty a little bit.

I think this one is probably going to five games and then we all hope it does because it should be an incredibly heated and fun series to watch.

I do think the Liberty will have the edge.

Close