Brondello's defending champs make statement

• Australian Opals coach Sandy Brondello has the New York Liberty ready to go in 2025
• New York rolls rival Las Vegas Aces and WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson by 14 points at home
• Liberty celebrated its 2024 championship before the tip-off

Australian head coach Sandy Brondello's quest for back-to-back WNBA titles started in emphatic fashion as the New York Liberty (1-0) dominated arch-rival Las Vegas Aces (0-1) 92-78 at Barclays Center on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Stewart's 25-point performance and Cloud's 22 points powered the 2024 WNBA champion Liberty past the 2023 champions in their season opener.

Key Details

• Result: New York Liberty 92 def. Las Vegas Aces 78
• When: May 18, 2025
• Where: Barclays Center, New York
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Breanna Stewart (New York) starred with 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 27 minutes.
• A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas) scored 31 points, and had 16 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in 36 minutes.

What Happened

The Liberty celebrated their 2024 championship with a 15-minute pre-game ceremony where they received their rings and unveiled the championship banner before a sellout crowd of 17,344 fans. Carrying that energy into the contest, New York took a slight 19-20 first-quarter deficit and flipped it with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Las Vegas 28-13 to build a 47-33 halftime advantage.

Las Vegas showed championship resilience in the third quarter, with Wilson dominating inside to help the Aces outscore New York 25-16, cutting the deficit to just five points heading into the final frame. The Aces continued their surge early in the fourth quarter, pulling within 66-64 before newcomer Natasha Cloud delivered consecutive three-point plays that sparked an eight-point Liberty run, extending their lead to 74-64 with 5:47 remaining.

Reigning MVP Wilson put on an outstanding individual performance with 31 points and 16 rebounds for the Aces, shooting an efficient 11-from-22 from the field. However, her supporting cast struggled, with Jewell Loyd ineffective in her Aces debut, managing just five points on 2-from-10 shooting, including a dismal 1-from-6 from beyond the arc.

The Liberty's balanced attack proved decisive, with four players scoring in double figures. Stewart led with 25 points on an outstanding 10-from-14 shooting, while Cloud added 22 points, nine assists, and three steals. Jonquel Jones contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds, giving New York a formidable inside presence.

New York's superior shooting efficiency told the story — the Liberty connected on 48.6% of their field goals (35-from-72) compared to the Aces' 34.1% (28-from-82). The Liberty also dominated the glass with a 43-41 rebounding advantage and recorded 27 assists to Las Vegas' 18, displaying superior ball movement throughout the contest.