(AP) SEATTLE — Becky Hammon chuckled a little before attempting to summarise one of the more memorable WNBA playoff games.
That was a very intense game. The Las Vegas Aces coach stated, "I don't know if I've ever been a part of something like that.
Following the Aces' thrilling 110-98 overtime victory against the Seattle Storm in Game 3 of their WNBA playoff semifinal series on Sunday, Hammon may have spoken with a mix of exhilaration and relief.
Big shots and buzzer beaters both occurred. The Aces were one win away from reaching the WNBA Finals and terminating Sue Bird's career due to spectacular offensive displays, disputed missed calls, and one flagrant blown assignment by the home side.
After Jackie Young's buzzer-beating basket forced overtime, Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum made clutch baskets to give Las Vegas a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
For these moments, we live. You put in a lot of effort for big games in bright lights, so it's important to maintain focus and remember how hard we all fought to get to where we are today, according to Aces standout A'ja Wilson, who ended with a playoff career-high 34 points.
Rightfully, the termination of regulation will get the most attention. However, Las Vegas dominated the extra period, outscoring Seattle 18-6.
While Gray was quiet in the fourth quarter, she scored eight of her 29 points in overtime, including a pair of three-pointers that quieted the raucous Storm supporters who had been cheering only moments earlier when it seemed Seattle was about to win the crucial game.
There were numerous instances of "Oh, they're going to win it, oh no, they're going to win it, oh we're going to overtime." The basketball playoffs are all about that. Gray remarked, "It felt good.
After Bird sank a corner 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation, Seattle led 92-90. Another high point in Bird's final season before retiring, it was a classic moment.
However, on the subsequent inbounds play, Young managed to escape Ezi Magbegor and score in the lane just before the final buzzer to force overtime.
"It was very annoying. Breanna Stewart of Seattle remarked, "We had the game, and we gave it to them, and that was about it.
With 14 crucial points coming off the bench, Riquna Williams and Gray each added 12 assists. Plum scored 16 points, including a crucial three-point shot that helped the Aces begin overtime.
Bird and Jewell Loyd each scored 17, while Stewart led Seattle with 20 points. With 7.2 seconds left in regulation, Seattle could have taken a three-point lead, but Tina Charles missed a pair of free throws, giving Seattle an additional 16 points.
Wild emotional swings characterized the second half, and the regulation period ended with one major play after another. 10 points were scored in the final 11 seconds.
With not much time left, "we were up four and that's basically, to me, when we lost the game," said Bird.
Williams' 3-pointer for Las Vegas with 8.9 seconds left cut Seattle's lead to 89-85. Although it seemed like Charles got away with taking additional steps, Wilson gave Las Vegas the lead 90-89 with 2.2 seconds left on the clock with a spinning drive in the lane. Charles missed her two foul shots.
After that, it was Seattle's turn to appear to win when Bird made a 3-pointer after receiving an inbound ball and finding herself free in the corner in front of the Seattle bench. Even when Seattle's apartment building boomed, Bird left her palm in the air.
But a few seconds later, Young scored before the buzzer after cutting to the basket.
"I'm to blame. According to Seattle coach Noelle Quinn, our executional mistakes after the game rest on me.
The triumph for the Aces also brought Bird one step further to retiring. With a victory in Game 4, Las Vegas may retire Bird as one of the best players in league history. Bird has indicated that this will be her final season.
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