2024 Playoffs Rematch Set for Opening Weekend with Aces at Liberty
May 16, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release
BROOKLYN, NY - The Las Vegas Aces will face the defending 2024 WNBA champion New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in their season opener on May 17 at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET) on ABC and Vegas 34.
Over the past two seasons each team has ended the other's championship dreams, making this a much-anticipated opening game by Aces and Liberty fans alike.
Against all odds, with two starters injured and in boots on the bench and Candace Parker sidelined for the second half of the season, the Aces prevailed over the Liberty in the 2023 WNBA Finals in winning back-to-back W crowns. Last season, however, the tables were turned after New York advanced past Las Vegas in the 2023 WNBA Semifinals and went on to win it all.
But that's all in the past. While the Aces and Liberty still have much of the star power they've had the past two years, as with many teams in the league, both teams have new looks to showcase in 2025.
Las Vegas, which lost almost 28 points per game in Tiffany Hayes (9.5 ppg) and Kelsey Plum (17.8 ppg), brought in Jewell Loyd, who averaged 19.7 ppg last year after leading the league with 24.7 ppg in 2023. Also new to the Aces are Dana Evans (7.2 ppg in 2024) and Tiffany Mitchell, who missed much of 2024 due to illness and owns a career average of 8.8 ppg, as well as rookies Liz Kitley and Aaliyah Nye.
These newcomers will complement the Aces returning top scorers and playmakers, including reigning league M'VP A'ja Wilson (26.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.6 bpg), Jackie Young (15.8 ppg, 5.3 apg) and Chelsea Gray (8.6 ppg, 4.9 apg).
On the other side of the court, New York returns its top three scoring threats in Breanna Stewart (20.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.5 apg), Sabrina Ionescu (18.2 ppg, 6.2 apg) and Jonquel Jones (14.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg), but lost its No. 4 scorer Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (11.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.3 apg) to injury in the offseason.
Joining the Liberty roster this year are guard Natasha Cloud (11.5 ppg, 6.9 apg) from Phoenix and forward Isabelle Harrison (6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg) from Chicago. New York also re-signed French sharpshooter and Olympic silver medalist Marine Johannès (7.1 ppg, 1.7 apg in 2023), who previously played three seasons with New York in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
The Liberty also lost a couple key players in starting guard Courtney Vandersloot (6.4 ppg, 4.8 apg) and key reserve Kayla Thornton (5.5 ppg).
In 2024, the Aces ranked first in points per game (86.4 ppg), defensive rebounds (28.5 drpg) and second in field goal percentage (.454), free throw percentage (.828) and blocks per game (5.0 bpg).
New York held the best regular season record at 32-8 and was second in the league behind the Aces in points per game at 85.6 ppg in 2024.
The teams will face each other twice more this season. The Aces return to New York on July 8 and will host the Liberty in Las Vegas on Aug. 13. Both games are scheduled to be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
NEXT UP: The Aces travel to Connecticut for a Tuesday, May 20, clash with the Sun, which will air at 4 p.m. PT on Vegas 34. The Sun tips its season on Sunday, May 18, against the Mystics.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 16, 2025
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- Prime Video Returns as Official Streaming Service of the Seattle Storm - Seattle Storm
- 2024 Playoffs Rematch Set for Opening Weekend with Aces at Liberty - Las Vegas Aces
- New York Liberty Tip off 2025 WNBA Season with Ring Ceremony and Banner Raising - New York Liberty
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