Aces capture 1st WNBA championship behind Chelsea Gray’s 20 points

The Las Vegas Aces closed out the Connecticut Sun in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday and picked up their first-ever championship in franchise history.

Behind Chelsea Gray’s 20 points, A’ja Wilson’s double-double and an opportune three-pointer from Riquna Williams, the Aces won Game 4, 78-71, at Mohegan Sun and avoided having to travel back to Las Vegas for a winner-takes-all Game 5.

Gray added six assists and five rebounds to her total. She was 9-of-13 from the field. Wilson had 11 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Williams contributed 17 points off the bench. With about 6:38 remaining in the game, Williams hit a three-pointer in the corner — her fifth of the game — and put the Aces up five points.

Kelsey Plum had 15 points, three assists and three steals. Jackie Young added 13 points with eight assists and five rebounds.

Las Vegas shot 45% from the field and made 10 three-pointers as a team.

Gray was named the WNBA Finals MVP. She averaged 18.3 points and 6 assists per game.

Connecticut misses out on another shot at a WNBA championship. The Sun are 0-4 in Finals history.

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Courtney Williams had 17 points and six rebounds.

Alyssa Thomas, who had the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history in Game 3, had another triple-double on Sunday. She had 11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Las Vegas had missed out on a title in 2020 when the team was 18-4 in the coronavirus-impacted season. The team lost to the Seattle Storm. In 2008, the team was known as the San Antonio Silver Stars, and they lost in the Finals to the Detroit Shock.

Becky Hammon, a key member of that Silver Stars team, turned around and became the head coach of the Aces this season. She picks up a ring as a head coach.

Aces team owner Mark Davis was in attendance for the game. He skipped the Las Vegas Raiders’ home opener against the Arizona Cardinals to watch his team take home the hardware.

The Las Vegas franchise was previously known as the Utah Starzz, San Antonio Silver Stars and later just the San Antonio Stars. The team moved from San Antonio to Las Vegas in 2018.