Desert Wave Media

Q. I have a couple questions for you. When you were putting this all together with the new CBA, the new salary cap, how different was it from past experiences? Or was it more or less the same because you’re still working on percentages that you can give each player? Or was it a vastly different puzzle to put together this time? And then my other question is, when did you know that Satou (Sabally) was going to leave and how connected is that time wise with bringing in (Valeriane) Ayayi.

Q. I have a couple questions for you. When you were putting this all together with the new CBA, the new salary cap, how different was it from past experiences? Or was it more or less the same because you’re still working on percentages that you can give each player? Or was it a vastly different puzzle to put together this time? And then my other question is, when did you know that Satou (Sabally) was going to leave and how connected is that time wise with bringing in (Valeriane) Ayayi.

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury again nearly pulled off the improbable before the Las Vegas Aces prevailed down the stretch to pull off a 97-86 win to secure their third WNBA title in the past four seasons. Playing without Satou Sabally who was ruled out with a concussion she suffered in Game 3, the Mercury had to overcome even more adversity in Game 4 after Alyssa Thomas left and returned to the game with a right shoulder injury and coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected.

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PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury made a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback but A’ja Wilson’s game-winning fadeaway jumper with 0.3 seconds left lifted the Aces to a 90-88 win in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Aces coach Becky Hammon said she did not draw up a special play for Wilson as the score was tied at 88 with five seconds remaining, and said the play she called was “very basic.” “Give the ball to (Wilson) and get out of the way. That’s all the play was,” Hammon said.

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury emphasized getting back to their defensive identity at practice Tuesday ahead of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Mercury forward Satou Sabally said the Mercury particularly focused on improving their transition defense. “I think it’s all about defense,” Sabally said Tuesday.

LAS VEGAS — Historic performances from Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson and a stagnant Mercury offense led to a 91-78 Aces rout in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. Young scored 21 points in the third quarter to set a WNBA Finals record for points in any quarter on the way to a game-high 32 points, and A’ja Wilson added a WNBA Finals career-high 28 points. “Just being aggressive, I think is the biggest thing,” Young said about her third quarter.

LAS VEGAS — After the Las Vegas Aces flummoxed the Phoenix Mercury in the second half of Game 1 by going to a zone defense, much of the Mercury’s emphasis on Saturday was how to counter the Aces’ zone. In the first half Friday, the Mercury repeatedly ran inverted pick and rolls for Alyssa Thomas, just as they had done so all postseason. Once the Aces showed help, Thomas was then able to kick out to open shooters for 3-pointers or easy looks at the basket.

LAS VEGAS — Big contributions from the Aces’ bench and a pivotal switch to zone defense in the second half led Las Vegas to an 89-86 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. It was somewhat of an unlikely cast of characters who stepped up for the Aces with guards Dana Evans (21 points) and Jewell Loyd (18 points) becoming the third pair of teammates in WNBA Finals history to each record at least 18 points off the bench and the first to do so since 2013.

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