[ad_1]
There are a pair of Game 4s in the WNBA semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 6 and the schedule starts out West when the Las Vegas Aces host the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.
The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on ABC. Fans looking to watch this WNBA game can do so for free by using FuboTV and DirecTV Stream, which both offer a free trial or with SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available.
The Aces staved off elimination with a dominant third quarter and second half performance in Game 3. The four members of the 2024 Olympic gold medal squad all showed out for Las Vegas as A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum combined for 73 of the squad’s 95 points, with Sixth Player of the Year Tiffany Hayes chipping in 11 off the bench to lead all reserves.
The Liberty fell apart in the third quarter where they were outscored 21-6. In addition to shooting only two-for-14 in that pivotal period, New York had a hard time getting Sabrina Ionescu going. After Ionescu played a key role in getting the Liberty a 2-0 lead in the series, she struggled in Game 3 going one-for-seven for 4 points while also having five assists and the same number of turnovers.
Who: New York Liberty vs. Las Vegas Aces
When: Sunday, Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. EST
Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas
Stream: FuboTV (free trial); Sling; DirecTV Stream
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial, and $30 off the first month for new costumers.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.
RELATED CONTENT:
Aces avoid elimination against Liberty while Lynx take 2-1 lead in series with Sun
By MARK ANDERSON and DOUG FEINBERG Associated Press Writers
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A return home helped Las Vegas stave off elimination by New York and look like the team that has won consecutive WNBA championships, while Connecticut couldn’t stop Minnesota and take advantage of their homecourt.
Both the Aces and Sun now will try to avoid seeing their seasons end on Sunday when they host Game 4 of their semifinal series.
Las Vegas beat New York 95-81 on Friday night in Game 3 of the best-of-five semifinal series. The Aces still trail 2-1. Connecticut got down early and never really was able to get close to Minnesota, falling 90-81. The Sun are also down 2-1.
The Liberty entered their matchup having gone 5-0 against Las Vegas this year, including 2-0 in the postseason. But like in last year’s WNBA Finals when a short-handed Aces team won the title on New York’s floor, the Liberty know eliminating the champions is not that simple.
“We have to keep our heads up because Game 4 is coming very, very quickly,” Liberty star Breanna Stewart said. “But we need to learn quickly as well and be ready for the next game because it’s not going to get any easier from here. This is the playoffs.”
The Liberty can expect another hostile atmosphere, and the Aces fed off their crowd to help stay alive.
But, more importantly, Las Vegas turned up the defensive intensity, outscoring the Liberty 42-28 in the lane and holding Sabrina Ionescu — who entered the game averaging 24.5 points — to four points on 1-of-7 shooting.
Aces coach Becky Hammon credited Kelsey Plum for helping devise the game plan that helped limit Ionescu. But the Aces know the Liberty will make their own adjustments, and how Game 4 plays out could be considerably different than Game 3.
But, for the Aces’ sake, at least there’s another game to play.
“The minute you get comfortable, that’s when you get exposed,” Las Vegas point guard Chelsea Gray said. “We executed this game, we executed for four quarters, and so we start all over again Sunday. We’re still down 2-1. We haven’t done anything.”
Like Las Vegas, Connecticut will have the home crowd support, but needs to play better on the defensive end. The Sun allowed Minnesota to shoot 57% from the field and didn’t pose much of a challenge on the defensive end.
“We didn’t come to compete. It didn’t matter what we were in defensively,” Sun forward Alyssa Thomas said. “We got to look in the mirror and want it. If we’re not going to come out there and compete this is the result.”
Connecticut has been to the Finals twice since Minnesota’s run, the last time coming in 2022. The Sun lost both times.
“We’re playing for an opportunity to play in the WNBA Finals,” Connecticut coach Stephanie White said. “Our back is against the wall and we know that we have to be better.”
The Lynx know closing out the Sun on the road won’t be easy.
“Obviously it’s a hard thing to do. And we have to be a lot better in the areas that we really need to play against,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said of finishing off the series on Sunday.
The Lynx will try and reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2017. That year the team won the fourth of its championships in a seven-year span.
___
Doug Feinberg contributed to this story from Uncasville, Connecticut.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
[ad_2]
Source link
