‘Best point guard’ leads Aces to Commissioner’s Cup win
The last time a contingent of Aces visited Chicago, one player was noticeably absent.
Four starters and coach Becky Hammon participated in the WNBA’s 2022 All-Star weekend held at Wintrust Arena in Chicago earlier this month, but four-time All-Star and eighth-year guard Chelsea Gray wasn’t among them.
“She got snubbed this year,” Aces All-Star guard Kelsey Plum said. “I felt like we deserved five All-Stars. I know that’s not easy. She’s a competitor. She leads our team, and when we need plays down the stretch, Chelsea consistently makes big plays.”
Gray got her moment at Wintrust Arena on Tuesday. The Aces beat the Chicago Sky, 93-83, in the 2022 Commissioner’s Cup final. She scored 19 points and added five assists, earning the the game’s MVP award.
It’s the franchise’s first Commissioner’s Cup title. Plum had 24 points and All-Star forward A’ja Wilson had 17 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks.
“I’m glad she plays for us,” Wilson said of Gray.
The win guaranteed bonuses of up to $30,000 for the Aces players, and an additional $10,000 donation from the WNBA to the ACLU of Nevada, the team’s charity partner organization. Gray also earned a $5,000 bonus for winning the MVP.
“That’s the MVP tonight, but she’s been leading our team the entire season,” Plum said.
The Aces continue their road trip at 4 p.m. Friday when they visit the Indiana Fever at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s title game.
Chelsea Gray the MVP
The past few weeks have been difficult for Gray. The Bay Area native revealed an important person in her life died recently. Basketball and the Aces have been her distraction.
“They have my back,” she said. “I wouldn’t be holding that MVP trophy without them.”
Gray continued her strong play since the All-Star break and made 53.3 percent of her shots, including a 2 for 4 on 3-pointers. Gray added five assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block.
She controlled the Aces’ offensive tempo, taking command in the third quarter as the Sky cut a 23-point lead to single digits. Hammon praised her guard’s ability to stay calm under pressure, while Plum and Wilson stressed how important Gray has been all season.
“She’s the best point guard in the world,” Plum said.
Aces start strong
The most recent meeting between the Aces and the Sky on June 21 set several WNBA records, including a few dubious ones.
The Aces scored 41 points in the first quarter, the Sky came back from a 28-point deficit and grabbed the victory. Tuesday’s game started out in a similar fashion.
The Aces came out looking unstoppable, scoring 33 points on 70 percent shooting and making 5 of 7 3-pointers. Nine of the Aces’ 14 field goals were assisted, and they forced five turnovers, including four steals.
They made their first five shots and Plum scored 12 of her 24 points in the first quarter.
“I was proud of the way she started the game,” Gray said. “Not even knocking down shots. She was just super composed.”
Sky struggle from 3
Despite the Aces’ hot start, the Sky fought back despite being hindered by their lack of 3s.
They went 6 of 30 from beyond the arc Tuesday. In comparison, Chicago went 12 of 25 on 3-pointers during their June 21 comeback. Reigning 3-point champion and Sky guard Allie Quigley scored just 3 points on 1 of 7 shooting.
“We just tried to mix up looks, make it as difficult as possible,” Hammon said.
Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.
