Aces grab – A’ja Wilson finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury 86-76 to clinch a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup championship. Las Vegas improved to 11-4 and will host Golden State Sunday before playing June 30 at New York fo
PHOENIX — A’ja Wilson didn’t just set the tone; she kept it. Wednesday night, the Las Vegas Aces star scored 33 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury 86-76 in a rematch of the 2025 WNBA Finals.
The win does more than move a record. It clinches Las Vegas a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup championship, with the Aces playing June 30 at New York for the title. For Phoenix, the evening only deepened a slump that now has it losing four straight.
Las Vegas, now 11-4, was also coming off a jarring result: the Aces lost 96-66 at Dallas on Monday to snap a six-game winning streak. In this one, they leaned on both production and disruption. NaLyssa Smith scored 21 points and Jackie Young added 20 points and nine assists.
Young also delivered a defensive spark with a career-high five steals, and Wilson added four more. The Aces finished with 18 steals, tied with Toronto for the most in a WNBA game this season.
Phoenix had its own offensive bright spots. Kahleah Copper scored 26 points, while Alyssa Thomas recorded 11 assists and 10 points. But the Mercury struggled to turn momentum into control when it mattered.
By halftime, Phoenix led 49-45 after shooting 60 per cent from the field (18 of 30) and hitting 7 of 10 from 3-point range. After that, the game tightened around the Aces’ defense and execution, and Phoenix couldn’t get back on track.
Chennedy Carter was absent again as Las Vegas dealt with illness; she did not travel with the team for the second consecutive game. And the matchup carried extra weight because it mirrored a familiar postseason storyline: Phoenix beat the Aces 99-66 in the season opener. setting this rematch against the backdrop of contrasting outcomes.
Now the schedules turn quickly. The Aces host Golden State on Sunday, while the Mercury will host Seattle on Sunday.
The straight numbers tell the story: Phoenix shot well early, led at the break, and then Las Vegas flipped the script with steals, pressure, and the kind of two-way authority Wilson brings when the spotlight is brightest.
A'ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces Phoenix Mercury Commissioner's Cup WNBA Finals rematch Jackie Young NaLyssa Smith Kahleah Copper Alyssa Thomas
33 and 11 like that’s just normal for her? Wild. Mercy got packed up.
I didn’t even realize this was a Commissioner’s Cup thing, thought it was just another regular game. Also why was Phoenix up at halftime if they ended losing by 10? That halftime 60% stat sounds fake lol.
Not gonna lie I saw a clip where Wilson was basically doing whatever she wanted, so yeah 86-76 checks out. But isn’t this the same team that got stomped 99-66 or whatever? So like… Phoenix just comes out hot then forgets the rest of the game.
The absence thing with Carter—so she didn’t travel? That sounds more like coaching drama than illness. Anyway congrats to Aces I guess, but if Phoenix had 7 threes at half why didn’t they keep chucking? Sounds like they choked on purpose or something.