Aces Take 2-0 Series lead with Dominating Game 2 Victory Over Mercury
Las Vegas, Nevada - October 5, 2025 – Teh Las Vegas Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury 89-76 on Sunday afternoon at Michelob ULTRA Arena, securing a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals series.
Jackie Young led all scorers with 32 points, including a franchise postseason record 21 points in the third quarter alone.A’ja Wilson contributed a dominant performance with 28 points and 14 rebounds, achieving her 25th career playoff double-double. Chelsea Gray added a 10-point, 10-assist double-double, further fueling the aces’ victory.
While Kahleah Copper paced the Mercury with 23 points and Satou Sabally added 22, Phoenix couldn’t match Las Vegas’ balanced attack and efficiency.
The Mercury started strong,shooting 45.5% from the field to take a 27-24 lead after the first quarter. Copper scored 11 points in the opening frame, while Wilson, Young, and Gray each had 7 for the Aces. However, Las Vegas tightened its defense in the second period, limiting Phoenix to just 10 points on 27.8% shooting, including 0-for-7 from three-point range. A 17-4 run, spearheaded by A’ja Wilson’s 13 points, gave the Aces a 46-37 halftime advantage.
The Aces extended their lead in the third quarter thanks to Young’s explosive scoring. She tallied 21 of the team’s 30 points in the period, helping las Vegas shoot 66.7% from the field and build a commanding 76-61 lead heading into the final quarter. Las Vegas increased its advantage to 22 early in the fourth,ultimately coasting to victory despite a late push from Phoenix that narrowed the margin to 12 with under three minutes remaining.
Las Vegas finished the game shooting 49.3% from the floor and 34.8% from three-point range, while holding Phoenix to 40.8% overall and a mere 17.9% from beyond the arc. The Aces also dominated the boards 43-34 and received 16 points from their bench compared to the Mercury’s 8.
A’ja Wilson extended her streak of double-figure scoring games to 34, the longest active run in the league.She also tied Lindsay Whalen for fourth all-time in playoff free throws made with 250. Despite ending a streak of 15 consecutive games with at least two blocks, Wilson climbed to sixth on the WNBA’s all-time Finals rebounds list with 132.
Chelsea Gray continued to make postseason history,surpassing Courtney Vandersloot for No. 2 all-time in Finals assists with 109.She also became only the third player in league history to reach 800 points, 300 assists, and 200 rebounds in playoff competition.
The win marked the Aces’ 49th consecutive sellout at Michelob ULTRA Arena and improved head coach Becky Hammon’s postseason record to 26-9 (.743), the best winning percentage among coaches with at least 10 playoff games.
The series shifts to Footprint Centre for Game 3 on Wednesday,Oct. 8, and Game 4 on Friday, Oct. 10. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5 p.m. PT on ESPN.
