The restart of the WNBA season provided fans with a mouthwatering matchup between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces on Saturday. This was a rematch of last season's finals and the back and forth battle between two of the league's top teams did not disappoint. The Liberty edged the tightly contested encounter to become the first WNBA team to qualify for the 2024 Playoffs.
Two-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson finished with a game-high 24-points, but it was not enough for the Aces. Led by 23 points from All-Star Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty emerged victorious 79-67 to secure their place in the postseason.
Sandy Brondello's side improved to a 23-4 record to solidify its hopes of finishing the year with the league's best record. The Liberty now hold a commanding three-game lead on the second-placed Connecticut Sun and a four-game lead over the third-placed Minnesota Lynx.
Mathematically, the Liberty are now assured of a place in the playoffs. With only 13 games remaining in their season, no team outside of the top eight can surpass New York. Each WNBA team plays 40 games per season, with eight teams qualifying for the knockout rounds.
This will be the fourth consecutive season the New York Liberty make a playoff appearance.
The Sun and Lynx both have 19 wins and are almost certain of a spot in the playoffs. The Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces sit in fourth and fifth position, respectively, and will be looking to lockup a postseason birth in the coming weeks.
New York Liberty will search for their first WNBA championship in the 2024 playoffs
The New York Liberty boast one of the most talented lineups in the league. With a loaded roster that includes players such as Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, this team will enter the playoffs as one of the favorites for the title.
The Liberty have reached the WNBA finals on five occasions over their 27-year history, but are yet to win the title. The team was defeated three times between 1997-2000 by the Houston Comets. It returned to the finals in 2002, but fell just short, losing out to the Los Angeles Sparks 2-0.
Last season, league MVP Breanna Stewart led her team all the way to the championship. The Liberty once again failed to win the ultimate prize, losing out to the Las Vegas Aces 3-1.