A'ja Wilson Stats tonight: How did Aces superstar fare in do-or-die Game 3 vs Liberty?

League MVP A'ja Wilson led the Las Vegas Aces to their first win of the season against the New York Liberty, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as they staved off elimination in the playoffs. The Aces, who entered Game 3 down 0-2 in their best-of-five semifinals series, hosted the Liberty and began their uphill climb from a historic deficit no team has ever come back from with a 95-81 victory.

The defending champion Aces were in a tough spot after losing the first two games on the road, but back on their home court, A'ja Wilson delivered a stellar double-double, helping the Aces secure their first win of the series and keep their title defense alive.

Wilson finished the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 8-for-14 from the field. Below are her complete Game 3 stats:

PLAYER	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	FGM-A	FG%	3PM-A	3P%	FTM-A	FT%	OREB	DREB	PF	STL	TO	BS
A'ja Wilson	33:29	19	14	3	8-14	57.1	1-1	100	2-2	100	0	14	1	0	3	1

Wilson got off to a strong start, scoring seven of the Aces' first nine points. By the end of the first quarter, the Aces led 26-23.

In the second quarter, Wilson added six more points, and the Aces entered halftime ahead 52-49 after a back-and-forth first half that saw a WNBA playoff record 18 lead changes.

Wilson nailed a step-back jumper and a cutting layup in the Aces’ dominant third quarter, where they outscored the Liberty 21-6 to gain a comfortable lead.

The Aces kept their momentum in the fourth, and Wilson’s layup off a Chelsea Gray assist pushed their lead to 25 with five minutes left. Wilson was subbed out with 3:40 remaining as the Aces closed out the win.

In addition to Wilson’s contributions, four other Aces scored in double digits: Jackie Young led with 24, Kelsey Plum added 19, while Tiffany Hayes and Chelsea Gray chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

A'ja Wilson reflects on 2024 season testing her patience

The Aces finished the regular season with a 27-13 record, still good enough for homecourt advantage in the playoffs but a seven-game drop from their dominant 34-6 finish last year.

In an interview with Tyler R. Tynes, A'ja Wilson admitted that the ups and downs of the season tested her patience.

“Oh God, it's tested my patience plenty of times," Wilson said. "When you're losing, it puts a whole different perspective on it."

She also noted that the challenges served as a wake-up call for the Aces, reminding them not to take anything for granted or become complacent.

“Sometimes you need that wake-up call because winning can shield a lot of things… It makes you look in the mirror and be like, ‘Damn, everything I do off the court can affect us on the court. Everything matters. Don't take anything for granted.’ So, I like the fact that we started off rocky," Wilson added.

Despite the difficulties, Wilson said the experience helped her grow as a leader for the team.

“When it came to my leadership, I've really just created bonds with my teammates and just continue to try to get the best out of them and know that it's not just going to take me to do a three-peat,” she said.