2025 VNBA Playoffs and Losers: Link, Aces Score Huge victory; Freedom is losing Brean Stewart on injuries

The playoffs in VNBA is in progress. The month long sprint for the crown of the new champion began on Sunday with a four-time header with Games 1 of all four series of first round. The Minnesota Link, Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty Everyone jumped on 1-0 lead. Freedom is the only lower seed to win the road.

Here are the results of the week:

Now that all four matches wrapped, let’s look closer to the action with the winners and losers from this match in Pivotal Games. As a reminder, the first round of the first round in the VNBA is the best of three, which means that every team that has lost on Sunday now on the edge of elimination.

Winner: Link

The link is the title of favorite favorites, so simply conquer the game 1 in the first round against seed no. 8 is not particularly significant. But putting 101 points against one of the best defensive leagues for recording the highest playing of the playoffs in the history of the franchise? Well, it’s another story.

After shaking the sleepy start, the Risa was quite perfect during the final three quarters. They held the game Walkiries At 33.9% shooting and forced 16 turns, which have turned into 16 points at the other end. Offensive, Risa had five players in double figures, led Napheesa Collier With 20, 51.5% shot and helped 25 of their 35 field goals.

The link was the best team in the League wide margin during the regular season, and their dominant victory on Sunday afternoon was a clear statement to maintain these standards in postseason. – Jack Maloney

Winner: Aces’ Defense

A’ja Wilson And the aces certainly made a statement in the game 1. They set the tone early and entered half with the advantages of 45-25, which was the biggest half leadership in the history of playoffs. Meanwhile, that Storm 25 points was related to the least point after two quarters in their post-season history.

Things weren’t better for Seattle after a break. Although Seattle could reach more points, the Aces never took the leg from the gas. As a team, Las Vegas had 10 stolen and six blocks and scored a 21 point of 13 reversals in Seattle. Wilson, Triple MVP and two-way defensive player of the year, had a lot to do with the dominance of her team. Storm large size simply was no match for her while she set up 29 points, eight jumps, three steals and two blocks. – Isabel Gonzalez

The fever had 13 games from Caitlin Clark this season, while their offense was even worse without it – 108.6 offensive marks with Clark on, 104.4 Offensive rating with Clark Off – Kelsei Mitchell and Aliyah Boston He secured that it doesn’t fall from the cliff.

The playoffs, however, are a different beast and fever felt classy absence more than ever on Sunday. While Mitchell is discharged for 27 points for 9 years from the field, the rest of the team in combination only 41 points at 13 of 45 recording (28.8%). Odyssey SimsWhich he moved in 10 points, was the only player except Mitchel in double figures.

Clark’s ability to create shots for their teammates is largely without incomparable and without it, it is really grinding for fever that a good look is against the difficult defense of dreams. – Jack Maloney

Liberty gave up the two first choses in offseson, and while it may have been a steep price for a player who would have been a cloudy defense, playing and energy, and in the field and outside the court, in particular the problems of injury freedom.

In the game 1 against Mercury – who traded the cloud to Connecticut Sun This is out of it before it was re-set up in New York – Cloud, it’s still not only her best game still just for freedom, but one of her career performance. She delivered all night at both ends of the floor.

Cloud ended with 23 points – from which there have been fourth quarter and overtime – six rebounds, five assists and four steals 9 of 12 from the field, including 3 of 6 from 3 out of 3-point. She played 39 possible 45 minutes, and Freedom was Plus-11 when she was on the field. – Jack Maloney

Loser: Mercury’s performance overtime

Liberty opposite Mercury game was far from beautiful, but it was dramatic – at least in regulation. Alissa Thomas I had the opportunity to beat him for Phoenix at two seconds left at the clock, but her attempted schedule was not successful and we have five minutes of basketball. Unfortunately, it is also when excitement died.

Mercury misdeeds disappeared with a bad shooting selection, and they did not make a goal on the ground until it was less than two minutes. Meanwhile, Sloboda rose to the opportunity and surpassed their opponents 11-4 in the additional period – despite Breanna Stewart comes out with knee injury. Phoenix had a good opportunity to win at home, but instead fell 1-0 in this best-three series of first round and now faces elimination. – Isabel Gonzalez

Hillmon was one of the best candidates for the sixth player of this season, and on Sunday it proved that it could be equally impacted in the playoffs. Hillmon added a 3-point shooting in his game during offseas and it certainly paid off. The match hit the game 1 against fever while registering 16 points and nine jumps, together with three helpers, one stealing and three blocks. It was especially effective in the second half, which helped sleep withdraw from fever. – Isabel Gonzalez

Loser: Health situation of freedom

Freedom went to 9-0, the beginning of this season, but went 18-17 the rest of the way, because they did not co-retain their key players in court. Breanna Stewart, Jonkuel Jones and Niara Saballi Missed a significant time, while Sabrina Ionescu, Leonie Fiebich, Kennedy Burke and Isabelle Harrison Everyone missed at least seven games.

Breanna Stewart Injury: Liberty Star (Knee) leaves a match 1 against Mercury in the extension, “Soon ‘will be estimated

Jack Malonei

Their large three stewarts, Ionescu and Jones began only 13 of 44 games together; Freedom won all 13. Unfortunately, they failed to add another Sunday to column. Although they escaped with the victory of overtime, Stewart left the obvious injury to the left knee with two minutes to play in an additional frame.

Coach Liberty Sandy Brondell didn’t give Stewart Update after the game and it’s unclear if it’s going to miss anytime. The last thing Liberty currently needed is another injury to your best player. Stewart, which was subjected to a smaller procedure before the season, missed a month late in the campaign with the right-end bone bruise. – Jack Maloney