The Las Vegas Aces moved one step closer to another championship after dismantling the Phoenix Mercury 91–78 in Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Finals on Sunday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Phoenix were looking for a win after their Game 1 loss, but A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young's historic performances led Las Vegas to victory and take a 2–0 series lead in the league’s first-ever best-of-seven Finals.
Young, the 28-year-old All-Star guard, scored 21 points in the third quarter, breaking the WNBA Finals record for most points in a single quarter. Her explosive stretch pushed the Aces to a 76–61 lead entering the fourth, extending their advantage to as many as 22. She finished with 32 points on 8-of-11 shooting in that frame, including 2-of-4 from three, along with eight assists and eight rebounds. She also became just the second player in Finals history to score 30 points in three quarters, joining Angel McCoughtry’s 2011 feat.
Wilson, the four-time MVP who turned 29 this season, led the first half with 20 of her 28 points while grabbing 14 rebounds to complete a double-double. It was her third 25-point, 10-rebound game in WNBA Finals history, breaking her tie with Breanna Stewart for the most such performances. The center’s 13-point stretch during a pivotal 19-6 second-quarter run helped Las Vegas overcome an early 33-27 deficit after the first quarter.
Together, Wilson and Young combined for 60 points, the second-highest scoring total ever by a duo in WNBA Finals history, trailing only Jewell Loyd and Stewart’s 65-point game for Seattle in 2020, per ESPN.
After trailing 27–24 in the first quarter, Las Vegas turned the tables in the second. The Aces’ defense clamped down, holding Phoenix to just 10 points and grabbing a 46–37 lead at the break. Wilson’s 13-point burst pushed the pace during a 19–6 run that shifted control their way. Then, in the third, Young detonated and her record-breaking outburst pushed Las Vegas ahead by as many as 22 points, giving them a 76–61 cushion entering the fourth quarter.
Chelsea Gray provided another masterclass in floor management, nearly recording a triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. She also became the fifth player in WNBA Finals history to post consecutive games with 10 or more assists.
For Phoenix, Kahleah Copper led with 23 points, while Satou Sabally added 22 points and nine rebounds before exiting late in the fourth quarter with a right ankle injury.
The Aces are now just two wins away from their third championship in four years. The Finals shift to the Mortgage Matchup Center in downtown Phoenix for Game 3 on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
