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Kelsey Plum scored 12 of her 24 points in the first quarter as the Las Vegas Aces raced to an early 23-point lead, then held on for a 93-83 victory over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night to win the second WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship.
Plum, who won the All-Star MVP in Chicago a few weeks ago, hit six of her nine 3-point attempts.
Chelsea Gray had 19 points — including nine pivotal ones in the third quarter — and earned MVP of the game.
A’ja Wilson had 17 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks as the Aces dominated early, then repelled several Sky runs in the second half. Jackie Young had 18 points.
Candace Parker led Chicago with 20 points and Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman each added 18. Defending WNBA champion Chicago closed to within seven points at the end of the third quarter, but lost a second straight game for the first time this season.
Chicago and Las Vegas finished as the top teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences with 9-1 records in the Commissioner’s Cup in-season tournament. The Sky (21-7) and Aces (20-8) also are 1-2 in the WNBA regular season standings and have secured playoff spots.
Chelsea Gray (<a href=”https://twitter.com/cgray209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@cgray209</a>) is your 2022 <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommissionersCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CommissionersCup</a> MVP 👏 <a href=”https://t.co/z7Z9WIPOLH”>pic.twitter.com/z7Z9WIPOLH</a>
—@WNBA
Seattle won the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup last year. The championship game doesn’t count toward regular season standings, but coaches and players of both teams said it’s a springboard for their stretch runs and a “measuring stick” against another top team with plenty on the line.
Members of the Aces earned in excess of $30,000 US per player, while those on the Sky earned $10,000 per player. Gray won an extra $5,000 as MVP of the championship game
A new wrinkle this season, the WNBA is making $165,000 in donations to charitable and civic organizations during this year’s series. Teams selected one organization in their area, with each group getting $2,000 for a win and $500 for a loss in tournament play.
The Commissioner Cup winner’s organization will get a total of $28,500 and the championships game loser’s group will get $23,500.
K333333LSEY PLUM! 🎯 That’s her SIXTH three of the night! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommissionersCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CommissionersCup</a> Championship presented by <a href=”https://twitter.com/coinbase?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@coinbase</a> <a href=”https://t.co/E8mw6MzOJ2″>pic.twitter.com/E8mw6MzOJ2</a>
—@WNBA
The Aces selected ACLU of Nevada and are one of three WNBA teams to partner with a local ACLU chapter. The Sky chose My Block, My Hood. My City, a grassroots Chicago non-profit that mentors underprivileged youth through educational programs and “empowers communities,” primarily on the city’s South and West Sides.
The Aces blitzed the Sky early, racing ahead 13-0 just 1:55 in and building a 33-14 lead after one quarter and stretching the advantage to 23 points early in the second.
“Our defensive tone was set from the beginning,” Gray said. “Coach was on us that defensively we play the right way.”
The Sky tightened its coverage in the third quarter a closed the gap to 7 points before Plum hit a 3 in the final seconds to make it 70-60.
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