Over the years, the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup has been an indicator of the league’s best teams.
This year, now that the group stage games are over, we have an answer for the elite teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences: the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces.
Both dominated
Cup play, going a combined 12-1 to set up a meeting with each other in the Commissioner’s Cup final. Before we preview that matchup, which the Liberty will host in Brooklyn on June 30, here’s a look at how each team earned their shot at another Cup.
How the Liberty dominated the East
It’s hard to envision how New York could’ve played better in Commissioner’s Cup games. They won every single contest and had a point differential of +68, the best in the East.
The only blemish they had during an undefeated Commissioner’s Cup was their win over the Indiana Fever, where they shot 36 percent from the field and only 11 percent from deep. Even with their offensive woes, they found a way to rally in the fourth and come out on top, 83-75, against Indiana.
As a team, the Liberty have been elite on both ends of the floor. They had an offensive rating of 114.7, which was second in the conference, and a defensive rating of 100.0, making them the fourth-best defense in the WNBA during this stretch.
The Liberty’s leader during this run has been, without question, Breanna Stewart.
She averaged 21.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, making her the team’s best scorer and second-best rebounder. Without her 30-point performance against the Fever and her 28-point game over the Connecticut Sun, New York wouldn’t have punched their Cup ticket.
How the Aces came out of the West
The Aces squeaked out of the West, needing to win their last game to remain in front of the Minnesota Lynx for the top spot. They got it done, beating the Mercury 86-76 to secure their spot in the Cup final.
During these games, defense was a challenge for Las Vegas. They had a defensive rating of 108.7, making them a bottom-six defense. Their offense offset those defensive deficiencies, at they put up an offensive rating of 112.7, making them the fourth-best offense.
As usual, A’ja Wilson was the catalyst for everything Las Vegas did well. She averaged 27.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in Commissioner’s Cup action. Wilson also led the team with 1.9 steals and 2.1 blocks in each contest.
Her play has been so elite that she was the Western Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season, and it’s no surprise she is the leading vote-getter for the All-Star game.
Now the Liberty, the current owners of the third-best record in the WNBA, and Aces, sitting at No. 2 in the overall standings, will face each other in the Commissioner’s Cup final, which could be a preview of the WNBA Finals.
