Mercury Crush Aces 99-66, Spoil Las Vegas Championship Celebration.

LAS VEGAS — The Phoenix Mercury turned the Las Vegas Aces’ championship celebration into a nightmare on Saturday, rolling to a dominant 99-66 victory at T-Mobile Arena just moments after the defending WNBA champions received their title rings. Fueled by a balanced offensive attack and relentless defensive pressure, Phoenix never trailed and sent an early message to the rest of the league after being swept by Las Vegas in last season’s WNBA Finals. Alyssa Thomas led the Mercury with 20 points, while rookie guard Jovana Nogic erupted for 19 points — all in the first half — in a breakout performance. Nogic, who recently played professionally in Russia and represents the Serbian national team, helped Phoenix seize control early with hot perimeter shooting and aggressive transition play.

Natasha Mack added a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds as six Mercury players finished in double figures. The game shifted decisively in the second quarter when Phoenix unleashed a 14-2 run to build a commanding 41-23 lead. The Aces struggled to recover, shooting inconsistently and failing to contain the Mercury’s pace throughout the afternoon. Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson scored 19 points to lead the Aces, while Jackie Young added 12 and NaLyssa Smith contributed 11. But the three-time champions never found momentum in front of a crowd that had gathered expecting a celebration. Before tipoff, the Aces received their championship rings in an elaborate ceremony honoring last season’s title run. The rings featured removable tops and personalized white-gold detailing for each player and coach.

“We’re back!” Aces owner Mark Davis told fans during the ceremony as minority owner Tom Brady stood courtside. Because the game was held at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas will wait until May 23 at Michelob Ultra Arena to officially raise its championship banner before a home matchup against Los Angeles. Instead of capping the day with another victory, the Aces suffered their worst defeat since a 111-58 loss to Minnesota last August. Phoenix will continue its road trip Sunday against Golden State, while Las Vegas travels to face Los Angeles.