Aces vs. Liberty: 'Playoff' Chelsea Gray returns, records triple-double to help Las Vegas bounce back

Gray finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Aces got revenge on the Liberty

By Jack Maloney Aug 18, 2023 at 1:05 am ET• 2 min read

Thursday night's showdown between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty was a regular season game with a postseason feel, so it was fitting that "Playoff Chelsea" made a reappearance. Reigning Finals MVP Chelsea Gray finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record the second triple-double in franchise history, and lead the Aces to an 88-75 win over their rivals. With the win, the Aces are now four games clear in the race for the No. 1 seed. 

The Commissioner's Cup championship between the two teams on Tuesday didn't count towards the standings, but it was impossible to ignore that the Liberty had crushed the Aces for the second meeting in a row. That put plenty of pressure on the league-leading Aces to deliver a response on Thursday. 

Gray ensured they did just that. As she was for much of their playoff run last season, Gray was the best player on the floor and set the tone for the Aces on the offensive end -- both as a scorer and a facilitator. In total, she either scored or assisted on 47 of the Aces' 88 points, a 53.4% share. 

The veteran point guard orchestrated multiple key stretches in the game. With the Aces up by three in the middle of the second quarter, Gray took over. She led an 18-8 run, scoring or assisting on 11 of those points, as the Aces built a double-digit lead heading into the break. That advantage gave them the cushion they needed to fend off the Liberty in the second half. Towards the end of the fourth quarter, Gray ensured there would be no drama by assisting on four consecutive baskets to put the game away.