With the Commissioner’s Cup final at the Barclays Center just hours away, the Las Vegas Aces had already lost their biggest advantage. A’ja Wilson, the league’s leading scorer and the engine behind everything the Aces do, was ruled out with a right leg injury sustained when she rolled her ankle in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Sky. Before tipoff, head coach Becky Hammon addressed the obvious question directly.

“Well, I hope we proved ourselves that we’re reliant, in that we are a resilient group and capable of stepping up in mid moments. It’s a next-woman-up mentality,” Hammon said, as per Madisyn Cunningham. “Here we are not going to replace A’ja. But if we could all do a little bit more, that’s all that’s all it takes.

“I don’t need any one person to step in and try to be a Wilson. That’s not the whole workout for us. But if we can all lift and do a little bit more on the offensive and the defensive, that’s great.”

Wilson’s absence was not the only disruption the Aces absorbed before the opening tip. New York Liberty forward Satou Sabally was also ruled out due to concussion protocol. On the Aces’ side, point guard Chelsea Gray exited less than two minutes into the first quarter after a head-to-head collision with Leonie Fiebich. She returned a few minutes later.

The context around Wilson’s absence made Hammon’s words carry real weight. Wilson entered the final averaging 25.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game, leading the league in scoring. Her usage rate of 31.8% reflects the degree to which the Aces’ offensive and defensive structure runs through her. Replacing that with a collective lift, as Hammon described, was always going to be a test the Aces had not faced at this scale this season.

Though the Aces gave it a genuine try, was it enough to beat the Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup final?

The Aces’ rally came too late

It is worth noting upfront that this game carries no bearing on either team’s season record or individual stats total. What it does carry is a $500,000 bonus for the winning side and a mid-season championship.

The Liberty came out fast and never fully let go. New York led 51-37 at halftime, with the Aces failing to make a single three-pointer in the first two quarters. The Aces outscored the Liberty 25-14 in the third quarter, cutting the gap to 65-62 heading into the final frame, and then briefly took the lead at 71-69 early in the fourth. It was the most the Aces could do, though it was not enough.

The Liberty’s response was decisive, going on a 15-2 run to pull clear. Sabrina Ionescu hit back-to-back daggers from the deep in the closing minutes to seal the 93-85 win. The Liberty became two-time Commissioner’s Cup champions, having also won it in 2023.

It was Ionescu who led the way, posting a season high 26 points alongside 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Breanna Stewart added 25 points and 11 rebounds and was named the MVP. The Liberty’s two lead scorers combined for 51 points. The Aces’ answer came from Jackie Young, who delivered 31 points entirely in the second half. Still, it was not enough to close the gap without Wilson.

The Liberty outrebounded Las Vegas 42-30, a margin the Aces could not overcome without Wilson anchoring the frontcourt. Their three-point shooting compounded the problem, with Aces finishing 6-of-26 from range and missing their first 13 three-point attempts. The third quarter comeback papered over those numbers briefly, but the Liberty had too much in reserve.

Hammon had been right that no single player could fill Wilson’s role What she could not fully account for was what that collective shortfall would look like across 40 minutes against a team with three reliable offensive options of their own. As of now, it is expected that Wilson could potentially return on Friday to once again face the Chicago Sky at home.