The Las Vegas Aces secured a dramatic 90-88 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The win places the Aces just one game away from their third WNBA championship in four years, while the Mercury face the daunting task of winning four consecutive games to avoid elimination.

The game's climax saw four-time MVP A'ja Wilson deliver the decisive blow. With the score tied at 88 and 5 seconds remaining, Aces coach Becky Hammon called a timeout and drew up a play for Wilson. Receiving an inbounds pass, Wilson, despite a double-team from DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas, executed a 7-foot turnaround jump shot that banked in with 0.3 seconds left on the clock. This marked the ninth game-winning field goal in the final five seconds of a Finals game in WNBA history. Wilson dominated the night, finishing with a remarkable 34 points on 11-of-20 shooting, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Her performance set multiple WNBA records, including becoming the first player in Finals history with consecutive games of 25 points and 10 rebounds, and achieving her ninth career 30-point game in the playoffs and fourth this postseason, both all-time highs.

The Aces controlled much of the game's first three quarters, building a 17-point lead heading into the fourth. Coach Hammon praised her team's ability to withstand a furious Mercury comeback. Beyond Wilson's heroics, Jackie Young contributed significantly with 21 points and 9 assists, combining with Wilson to score or assist on 72 points, tied for the fifth most by a duo in WNBA Finals history. Jewell Loyd also provided a crucial spark early on, sinking four first-quarter 3-pointers and finishing with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Despite the strong start, the Aces were outscored 29-14 in the fourth quarter as the Mercury mounted an incredible rally. Phoenix's comeback was fueled by veterans Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner, who combined for 20 of those 29 points in the final frame. Copper ignited the surge with 11 straight points at one juncture, while Bonner tied the score twice in the final 1:41, once with a 3-pointer and again with two free throws. Bonner led the Mercury with 25 points. However, the Mercury's efforts to close the gap were largely necessary due to a lack of defensive intensity in the first half, which Alyssa Thomas called "unacceptable." They allowed a postseason-high 55 points in the first half and nine Las Vegas 3-pointers, seven of which were uncontested.

A significant concern for the Mercury heading into Game 4 is the status of forward Satou Sabally. With 4:26 left in the fourth quarter, Sabally, who was the Mercury's second-leading scorer with 24 points at the time, exited the game with an apparent head injury after her head collided with an Aces defender's knee while chasing a rebound. She was immediately helped off the court by a teammate and staffer. Coach Nate Tibbetts did not have an update on her status postgame, creating uncertainty for the Mercury's lineup.

Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts acknowledged the formidable challenge ahead, stating, "I don't know how many teams have come down from 0-3. Not many, right? So I'm not going to sugarcoat that. We've got a tough road ahead, but we've got to take it one game at a time." He highlighted the team's pride and fighting spirit, which has been evident throughout the postseason, including comebacks from 0-1 deficits in both the first round and semifinals. The Mercury will need to find a defensive answer for the dominant A'ja Wilson and the Aces' sharpshooters to avoid a sweep in Game 4, which remains in Phoenix on Friday.