The Las Vegas Aces took a commanding 3-0 lead in the 2025 WNBA Finals after a thrilling 90-88 win over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 on Wednesday. A'ja Wilson, who finished with 34 points for a new Finals career-high, hit the game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining.
After a competitive first quarter highlighted by major runs for both teams, the Aces took control of the game and led by 17 entering the fourth quarter. It seemed as though Wilson and company would cruise to a third consecutive victory in this series, but the Mercury had other ideas.
As they've done all postseason, the Mercury found new life in the fourth quarter and embarked on an incredible comeback despite losing Satou Sabally to a head injury in the middle of the frame. After cutting the deficit to 10, Kahleah Copper ripped off a personal 9-0 run in less than 40 seconds to make it a one-point game. From there, the two teams traded baskets down the stretch.
The Mercury had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the final 30 seconds, but Alyssa Thomas' effort over Megan Gustafson did not go down. The Aces initially played without a timeout, but when their final possession got bogged down, Becky Hammon stopped proceedings with five seconds left to set up a play.
To little surprise, the Aces got the ball to Wilson, who faced up at the elbow and tried to drive to the basket. She was cut off by multiple Mercury defenders, who forced her to spin and fade away. Good offense beats good defense, though, and Wilson got her mid-range jumper to go down anyway.
The Mercury still had one last chance, but needed a miracle with only 0.3 seconds left on the clock. They almost got one. DeWanna Bonner caught a pass from Thomas in mid-air and threw up a twisting heave at the buzzer that somehow nearly went in.
Wilson finished with 34 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Jackie Young added 21 points and nine assists. The Aces also got 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench from Jewell Loyd.
Bonner led the Mercury with 25 points off the bench, while Sabally had 24 before she had to leave the game.
Game 4 is set for Friday night in Phoenix, and will be a must-win for the Mercury.
Wilson plays hero with biggest shot of her career
A'ja Wilson is the only four-time MVP in WNBA history, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and a seven-time All-Star. She's won two titles and a Finals MVP, and at 29 years old already has a case as the G.O.A.T.
But until late on Wednesday night, she was lacking a true signature moment.
That changed with a spin and a fade and a shot that rattled around the rim before it nestled in the net to give the Aces a 3-0 lead in the Finals and move them within a win of their third title in the last four years.
The Aces shouldn't have needed Wilson to play hero. After dominating Game 2, they picked up where they left off and took full command of Game 3. They led by 12 at halftime and pushed their advantage to 17 entering the fourth quarter. The final frame should have been a walk in the park, but the resilient Mercury refused to go down without a fight.
With less than 30 seconds to play, the score was tied at 88-88. The Mercury actually had a chance to take the lead, but Alyssa Thomas was stonewalled by Megan Gustafson, which gave the Aces the final possession. Initially, they tried to play it straight up, but when that wasn't working Becky Hammon took control of the situation.
The Aces coach, who helped start this dynastic run when she was hired ahead of the 2022 season, called a timeout to set up a play with five seconds left. The design and the instructions were simple. Chelsea Gray was to throw the ball to Wilson, and from there, it was up to the MVP to do what she does best.
"Just go get it done. That was it," Wilson told Holly Rowe when asked about Hammon's message in the huddle. "She didn't really say much because I already understood the assignment."
After catching the ball at the elbow, Wilson squared up and took a second to survey the scene. She had DeWanna Bonner in front of her and Thomas sitting on her right hand, so she drove left. Kahleah Copper helped off of Gray in the corner, however, and forced Wilson to spin back toward the middle. When she did, Thomas was right there to help. The only direction Wilson could go was backwards, so she faded away and let it fly.
The ball grazed the front of the rim, hit the back of cylinder and looked for a split second like it was going to bounce out. Instead, it hit the front of the rim again with a little backspin and dropped through the net. Wilson let out a scream and the Aces' bench erupted.
Wilson's shot, which officially went in with 0.3 seconds remaining after the officials went to the monitor to reset the clock, was the third-latest game-winner in WNBA Finals history. Only Teresa Weatherspoon (1999), Maya Moore (2015) and Alana Beard (2016) have hit actual buzzer beaters in the championship series.
It was a fitting end to the best Finals performance of Wilson's career. Her 34 points -- on 11 of 20 from the field and 11 of 12 from the free throw line -- were a Finals career-high and the fifth-highest scoring game in Finals history. She added 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocks to become the third player ever with a 30/10 game in the Finals. After Wednesday, no one has more 30-point playoff games than Wilson (nine).
Barring a total collapse from the Aces, Wilson will win a third title and second Finals MVP, possibly as soon as Friday. Adding a Finals game winner to her résumé only cemented her status as a living legend.
"These are the moments that you dream of," Wilson said. "These are just the times that you see on TV sometimes. You're watching you're like, oh, my God, to be in that building, and it's truly powerful."
