Global Information2023 Las Vegas Aces season information
| 2023 Las Vegas Aces season | |
|---|---|
WNBA champions | |
| Coach | Becky Hammon |
| Arena | Michelob Ultra Arena |
| Attendance | 9,551 per game |
| Results | |
| Record | 34–6 (.850) |
| Place | 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | WNBA Champions (Defeated New York Liberty 3–1 in WNBA Finals) |
| Team Leaders | |
| Points | A'ja Wilson – 22.8 ppg |
| Rebounds | A'ja Wilson – 9.5 rpg |
| Assists | Chelsea Gray – 7.3 apg |
← 2022 season
2024 season → | |
The 2023 Las Vegas Aces season was the franchise's 27th season in the Women's National Basketball Association and the sixth year the franchise is based in Las Vegas - after relocating from San Antonio and Utah. This was also the second season under head coach Becky Hammon. They were the defending WNBA champions, after defeating the Connecticut Sun in the 2022 WNBA Finals.
The Aces largely kept their team intact after their championship season, only trading away Dearica Hamby, but signing former WNBA Champions Candace Parker and Alysha Clark in the offseason. This continuity proved positive in the first month of the season as the Aces went 4–0 in May. Their winning streak continued and went to seven games before they lost their first game of the season on June 8 to the Connecticut Sun. After the loss, they went on another seven game winning streak, and finished June 10–1. The winning streak continued into July, but ended on the third game of the month with a loss to Dallas. After the nine game winning streak, the Aces again won out in the month, finishing on a seven game winning streak, and finishing July with a 10–1 record. They manged to get their winning streak to eleven before losing to the New York Liberty on August 6. Their next loss would again come at the hands of New York, but this time it was in the Commissioner's Cup Final. The aces defeated New York in the next regular season game, but would then lose to Los Angeles to end a four game regular season winning streak. The Aces won three of their next five games to finish August with a 8–4 record. During the month, they secured their playoff berth on August 2. They entered the final month of the season fighting with New York for the first seed. The Aces won all three games in September to secure the top seed on the last day of the season.
The Aces finished with a 34–6 regular season record, which was a franchise and WNBA record for number of wins.[1] This was also the first season where the WNBA played 40 games. Their .850 winning percentage was a franchise record but not a WNBA record. The Aces finished as the first seed for the playoffs.
As the first seed, the Aces faced off against the eighth seed Chicago Sky and would host the first two games of the three game series. The Aces didn't lose a quarter in Game One and took the game 87–59. The Aces dominated Game Two in similar fashion, not losing a quarter, and winning the game 92–70 to move on to the Semifinals. In the Semifinals, the Aces faced off against the Dallas Wings. The Aces would host the first two games of the five game series, and game five, if nesseccary. The Aces dominated Game One, only losing the fourth quarter, but winning the game 97–83. Dallas managed to win two quarters in Game Two, but the Aces won the game 91–84. Game Three, was much closer in Dallas, but the Aces used a strong second half to win the game 64–61 and moved on to the 2023 WNBA Finals.
In the Finals, the Aces faced off against the second seed, New York Liberty. The teams faced each other five times during the regular season, going 2–2 against each other, but the Aces lost the Commissioner's Cup. The Aces used a strong second half to win Game One 99–82. In Game Two, they dominated the first quarter, and again dominated the second half to win 104–76. The Aces only needed to win one of the last three games to retain their title. The Liberty clawed one game back in New York, winning Game Three 87–73. In Game Four, the Aces, as they often had in the playoffs, had a strong second half, and won the game 70–69. The Aces became the first team since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002 to win back to back WNBA Championships, taking the Finals three games to one.
- ^ "Aces set WNBA single-season wins record with 30th victory". ESPN. August 25, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.