The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty will go head-to-head in the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs on Sunday. It projects to be a competitive series between two teams that played against one another in the 2023 WNBA Finals. Although the Liberty are the No. 1 seed, the Aces have won back-to-back championships.
In fact, one could argue that the Aces' X-factor is their recent championship experience. That would be far too obvious of an answer, however. It is worth noting that Las Vegas struggled against New York during the 2024 regular season, but there is reason for the Aces to remain confident.
So what is the X-factor that could ultimately determine whether or not the Aces upset the Liberty in the semifinals?
The Aces limit turnovers
"Defense wins championships" still holds some truth. Being able to score is obviously important. However, simply being able to take care of the basketball can completely change the dynamic of a game. Turnovers are costly and feature the potential to destroy a team's momentum.
No team in the WNBA turned the ball over less than the Aces in 2024, as Las Vegas recorded only 10.8 turnovers per outing. The next lowest team, the Connecticut Sun, averaged 12.1 turnovers per game.
The Liberty were near the middle of the league with 12.7 turnovers per outing, placing them fifth in the statistic. New York was not exactly careless with the basketball, but Las Vegas certainly holds a big advantage when it comes to turnovers.
Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray both averaged 2.4 turnovers per outing during the 2024 regular season, which was the highest mark on the team. Plum and Gray are both more than capable of taking care of the ball, and 2.4 turnovers per contest is not too alarming.
Jackie Young recorded 2.1 turnovers per game, while the rest of the Aces roster had less than 2.0 turnovers per outing.
Will a lack of turnovers truly lead the Aces to a series victory?
Discussing turnovers is not the most attention-catching conversation. Everyone loves to discuss three-pointers and blocking shots. The fact of the matter is that taking care of the ball is always important, especially in the postseason.
Playoff atmospheres are different. One mistake by the road team is more than enough to completely change the energy in the arena. By being able to limit mistakes, the Aces will place themselves in a tremendous position to upset the Liberty.