The Aces-Storm semifinals series has lived up to the hype and then some. A neck-and-neck Game 1 was followed up by a just-as-spectacular night two where the league’s two best players and far-and-away favorites to win MVP matched each other bucket for bucket.
A’ja Wilson’s Aces came away victorious, 78-73, thanks to her 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting with 13 rebounds, three blocks and not a single turnover in 38 minutes. Breanna Stewart gave her all with 32 points on 12-of-23 shooting with seven rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes.
To end the regular season, a Storm-Aces series broke viewing numbers with more than 1.1 million tuning in for the first time since 2008. That makes sense with all the talent on board. Seven No. 1 picks play between these teams, including the legends and soon-to-be Hall of Famers Sue Bird and Tina Charles. The other three: Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and Jewell Loyd are stars with room to grow as well.
On paper, this series looked too good to be true, but through two games, it’s been as excellent as anyone could’ve imagined. The games have both come down to the final possessions and the stars have shined.
These are the types of matchups where all-time greats prove they’re special, and fans fall in love with the sport. The era of Wilson vs. Stewart is upon us and there’s no better time for fans to choose a side.
This is a dream for everyone involved. The only shame is the series can only go as many as five games. So far, we’re tied at 1.