Complete rivalry history between New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces

Bullet point summary by AI

• The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty have built one of the WNBA’s fiercest rivalries since the Aces’ relocation in 2018.
• Their matchups have produced championship-level intensity, including two playoff battles since 2023, with each team winning once.
• A’ja Wilson’s 2023 Finals MVP and Breanna Stewart’s 87-point 2024 semifinal performance highlight how this rivalry continues to define the league.

One of the greatest rivalries in the modern WNBA belongs to the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. It’s intensified in the last couple of years as they’ve consistently been among the top teams in the league, highlighted by two matchups in the WNBA Playoffs.

With the two teams squaring off again on Thursday night, let’s take a deep dive into the history between these two teams dating back to when the Aces relocated to Las Vegas in 2018.

Liberty vs. Aces rivalry history

The rivalry really took off in 2023, when both teams were dominating the league. New York had just signed MVP Breanna Stewart to join Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, making them the ultimate favorites with that big three. The Aces were starting to see their draft picks of the last couple of years pay off, with A’ja Wilson emerging as the true face of the league.

In 2023, the teams split the regular-season series 3-3, but the Liberty won the Commissioner’s Cup. Eventually, they met again in the WNBA Finals, where the Aces won the trophy that matters the most: a WNBA championship. Since then, their matchups have been intense, no matter when in the season they face off.

Who has the best career regular season record?

The Aces have a better all-time winning percentage than the Liberty, but New York has been around much longer than Las Vegas. The Aces became a team in 2018, while the Liberty were one of the original WNBA teams in 1997.

Regular season head-to-head matchups

These stats include Las Vegas’ two losses in the Commissioner’s Cup against New York (in 2023 and 2026) but the Aces still lead the regular-season series. But the Liberty have been getting the best of Vegas in the regular season recently: Since 2023, they lead the matchup with a 10-3 record. Their most recent win against the Aces came when they won the Cup this past June.

Who has the best career playoff record?

When it comes to the playoffs, the Aces take the cake after winning three championships in four years. The Liberty have historically struggled to reach the postseason as regularly, despite being around much longer. However, the new era of the team has been turning things around as they’ve reached the playoffs every year since 2021.

Head-to-head playoff record

The teams have taken each other on twice in the playoffs before. Their first meeting was in 2023 in the WNBA Finals, when the Aces dominated the Liberty en route to a 3-1 series win. Their next meeting was in 2024, when New York eliminated Las Vegas in the semifinals, 3-1. The Liberty went on to win their first ever championship.

Who has the most WNBA championships?

It’s easy to see how much these teams have been impacting the WNBA landscape recently, responsible for each of the last four titles. This year’s championship may come down to the two of them again.

Franchise Most Valuable Players

Both franchises have only had one MVP in their history and both have come in the last five seasons. At this point, Wilson can win the MVP award every year, but Stewart was able to snag it away in 2022.

Notable players from the rivalry

Liberty: Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu

Aces: A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray

All of these players have been on their respective teams since the rivalry became real. They’ve all had standout moments in games to propel their team over the other. And when the most was on the line, it was always the two MVPs who shined the most.

For the Liberty, Breanna Stewart’s 87 points in the 2024 semifinals are her team’s defining moment from this rivalry. She was the main offensive engine for the Liberty, who went on to win the title that year. For the Aces, Wilson winning Finals MVP against the Liberty in 2023 stands out. She had a double-double in Game 4 to secure the series for her team. For the series overall, she averaged 21.3 points and12.5 rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting.