The Las Vegas Aces have continued their dominance this season behind four-time MVP A'ja Wilson, owning the second-best record in the WNBA and now aiming to become the first franchise to win the Commissioner's Cup twice.
The Aces finished 6-1 in Commissioner's Cup play and will face the undefeated New York Liberty (6-0) in Tuesday's final at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, but Las Vegas is closely monitoring Wilson's status after she suffered an ankle scare on Sunday.
During the Aces' 107-99 victory over the Chicago Sky, Wilson rolled her ankle in the fourth quarter and briefly headed to the locker room. Although she returned to finish the game, the 29-year-old has since been listed as questionable for the Commissioner's Cup Final with a right leg issue.
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Based on her postgame comments, however, Wilson does not appear overly concerned about the injury.
"It's all right," Wilson said during the postgame broadcast. "It's an ankle, so it's going to snap back. But I should be good after some nice treatment."
There is always the possibility the injury worsens after the game, but Wilson has built a reputation as one of the league's most durable players, missing just six games over the past seven seasons.
She finished Sunday's win with 30 points and 15 rebounds, marking the eighth 30-point, 15-rebound game of her career, the most in WNBA history. She also added four steals, three blocks, and one assist.
Wilson has appeared in all 19 games this season and is firmly in the MVP conversation once again. She leads the WNBA in scoring at 25.7 points per game, ranks fourth in rebounding (9.4), leads the league in blocks (2.0), and sits ninth in steals (1.6).
Wilson has carried much of the offensive load for Las Vegas this season, with Jackie Young providing valuable support. The Aces will be hoping their superstar is healthy enough to lead them as they chase another Commissioner's Cup title.
The Liberty will be without Satou Sabally, who remains in the league's concussion protocol. New York has also dropped four of its last five games, although its lone victory during that stretch came against Las Vegas.
With Breanna Stewart leading the Liberty and Wilson hoping to suit up for the Aces, Tuesday's final has all the ingredients of another closely contested battle between two of the WNBA's elite teams.
