Jackie Young delivered a performance for the ages as the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury 91–78 on Sunday night to take a commanding 2–0 lead in the 2025 WNBA Finals. With the win, the Aces are now just two games away from securing their third title in four years.
Jackie Young Makes WNBA Finals History
The 28-year-old guard erupted for 21 points in the third quarter, the most ever scored in a single quarter in WNBA Finals history. Young’s record-breaking burst propelled the Aces from a slim lead to full control of the game, extending their advantage to as many as 22 points.
She finished with 32 points, eight rebounds, and two assists on a spectacular 8-of-11 shooting night, including two clutch three-pointers.
Her historic night placed her in elite company. Young became just the second player to score 30 or more points within the first three quarters of a Finals game, joining Angel McCoughtry’s 2011 performance.
All Young could say was, “I was just trying to play the right way and be aggressive,” Young said.”
The Aces’ Core Shines Once Again
Even her teammate, A’ja Wilson, couldn’t help but speak highly of her. “I knew she was destined for this type of game. This is Jackie’s element like this is what she lives for. This is why she works so hard. So to see her thrive and be so successful in this place, it really warms my heart. And I am grateful to be alongside of her. She is doing exactly what she needs to be doing.”
And speaking of Wilson, she, too, continued to dominate in her usual fashion. The reigning MVP put up 28 points and 14 rebounds, becoming only the third player in WNBA history to record at least 20 points in the first half of a Finals game. Angel McCoughtry (2011) and Kahleah Copper (2021) are the only other players to achieve that feat.
The chemistry between Wilson, Young, and Chelsea Gray remains the foundation of Las Vegas’ dominance. Gray, the veteran floor general, nearly posted a triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, becoming just the fifth player in Finals history with back-to-back 10-assist games.
Together, Wilson and Young combined for 60 points, the second-highest total by a duo in WNBA Finals history, trailing only Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart’s 65-point outing in 2020.
As the series shifts to Phoenix, the Mercury face a daunting uphill battle. Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 23 points, while Satou Sabally added 22 before leaving late with an ankle injury.
The Aces’ Game 2 victory wasn’t just another win; it was a statement. With Young rewriting the WNBA Finals record books and Wilson adding to her growing legacy, Las Vegas looks poised to cement itself as a dynasty.
Game 3 tips off Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with the Aces now just two wins away from another championship.
