The Vegas Aces Run Out of Fuel, Liberty Punch Finals Ticket

The Las Vegas Aces knew that chasing a three-peat wasn’t going to be easy, but they gave it everything they had. Unfortunately, the tank hit empty, and their historic quest to defend their title came to a screeching halt. The Aces fell to the New York Liberty 76-62 in Game 4, dropping the best-of-five series 3-1.

The Liberty are on their way to the WNBA Finals for the sixth time, hungry for that franchise-first championship after falling short last year to the Aces. And it's been quite the revenge tour for New York, having beaten Vegas in six out of seven matchups this year.

Sun and Lynx Are Going Down to the Wire

Meanwhile, we still don’t know who the Liberty will face in the Finals. The Connecticut Sun weren’t ready to pack their bags just yet. They forced a do-or-die Game 5 after taking down the Minnesota Lynx 92-82 in Game 4 on Sunday.

Napheesa Collier of the Lynx gave it everything she had, posting a beastly 29 points and 13 rebounds. She’s making Lynx history with back-to-back 20-point, 10-rebound playoff games, but it just wasn’t enough to seal the deal for Minnesota. Can the Sun outshine the Lynx one last time on Tuesday? We’ll see.

Out of Retirement and Right into the Record Books

Speaking of surprises, how about Tiffany Hayes? After retiring from the WNBA in 2023, Hayes made an unexpected comeback with the Las Vegas Aces in the middle of this season and just got crowned the 2024 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year!

Hayes went from sitting out to becoming a key piece of the Aces' puzzle, averaging 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, and shooting 40.2% from three, 10th best in the entire league! Looks like retirement didn’t suit her too well after all.

LeBron and Bronny Share the Court

It finally happened. LeBron James and his son Bronny James made NBA history on Sunday night, becoming the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game. Sure, it was a preseason game, but who’s counting? It’s a milestone nonetheless!

Bronny checked in at the start of the second quarter, celebrating his 20th birthday in style.

LeBron couldn’t hide his pride.

He summed it up perfectly: "For a father, it means everything. To have those moments with your son, it’s one of the greatest things a father can ever hope for."

LeBron put up 19 points in the first half, showing us all he’s still got it, while Bronny didn’t score in his 13 minutes of play, but don’t worry, he’s just getting started. Even though his offense wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard, his work ethic on defense is already turning heads.

Karl-Anthony Towns’ Preseason Debut With the Knicks

The Knicks might just be cooking up something special this season. Karl-Anthony Towns made his much-anticipated debut with the New York Knicks in their preseason win over the Charlotte Hornets, and it’s already clear why they made the big trade.

Towns drained a smooth 3-pointer in transition, thanks to some slick teamwork with Jalen Brunson. This is the two-man game Knicks fans have been waiting for. With Towns spreading the floor and opening up lanes for Brunson, things are looking up in New York.

Towns finished with 10 points and four rebounds in just 15 minutes, while Brunson added 12 points of his own. Both sat out the second half, but it’s already obvious this duo has the potential to bring the Knicks to the next level.

Clippers and P.J. Tucker Are Calling It Quits

Well, it looks like P.J. Tucker and the Clippers are hitting the pause button. The team and Tucker have mutually agreed to part ways for now while they figure out what’s next for him. This isn’t exactly shocking news, especially if you remember that Tucker wasn’t thrilled about his role last season, even getting fined $75K by the NBA for publicly expressing his desire to be traded.

For Tucker, it's about finding a place where he feels valued. For the Clippers, it’s about keeping the ship steady as they figure out who fits best into their rotation. So while Tucker steps away, the Clippers have to keep it moving.

A Season of Big Expectations (and Bigger Questions)

The Clippers are gearing up for an unpredictable season. New building, old-school James Harden, and all eyes on Kawhi Leonard’s knee. After offseason surgery and missing the Paris Olympics, Kawhi is taking it slow in training camp, focused on getting his knee right. He’s been clear, his goal is to be ready, but whether he’ll play in back-to-back games is still up in the air.

Kawhi was solid last season, playing 68 games, the most since 2017, and was an All-NBA player. But then came the playoffs, where his knee flared up again, and the Mavericks sent the Clippers packing in round one. The question is: Can Kawhi stay healthy and lead this team through the season?

Meanwhile, the Clippers’ newcomers like Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, and Kevin Porter Jr. will need to step up big time, especially with Paul George now in Philly. Kawhi doesn’t seem too impressed with the new faces yet, so it's going to be an interesting ride in L.A. for sure.

Blazers Face Early Setbacks with Injuries

The Portland Trail Blazers are also dealing with some early preseason drama, and it’s not the good kind. Their rising star Shaedon Sharpe and center Robert Williams III are both sidelined for weeks thanks to training camp injuries.

Williams, who’s had a rough go with injuries, strained his hamstring and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. There’s hope he could be ready for the start of the regular season, but we’ll have to wait and see.

As for Sharpe, things are looking a bit worse. After already missing time last season for surgery, Sharpe suffered a labral tear in his shoulder and is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks. It’s a tough blow for a guy the Blazers are counting on to step up.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading.

We’ll see you tomorrow!

— The Players Unlimited Team