How many games are in WNBA Finals? Matchups, format and more explored

The 2023 WNBA Finals could come to an end on Sunday should the Las Vegas Aces defeat the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Aces lead the series 2-0 and can successfully defend their title if they earn one more victory in this best-of-five series.

The WNBA Finals are played under a best-of-five format, where the team that will claim three wins earns the title. If the series is tied after Game 4, a Game 5 determines who wins the series.

In this 2-2-1 format, the team that holds a better record has the home-court advantage, with the first two games of the series and Game 5 (if needed) taking place at its home arena.

Las Vegas is coming off two impressive wins over New York (82-99 in Game 1 and 76-104 in Game 2), with the series now moving to Brooklyn, where the Liberty want to stay alive and force a Game 4.

Should New York survive elimination, a Game 4 will be played in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Should the Aces win, they will become the first team since the LA Sparks (2001-2002) to win back-to-back WNBA Finals.

Aces coach Becky Hammon praises her players after 2-0 lead in WNBA Finals

Becky Hammon saw the Las Vegas Aces dominate the first two games against the New York Liberty to come a step away from their second straight WNBA championship.

After a 28-point victory on Wednesday, the Hall of Famer had nothing but high praise for her players and is hopeful they can close out the series on Sunday.

"They don't leave me speechless very often, but they executed defensively, offensively shared it," Hammond said, via Bleacher Report. "Everything we've been asking them to do ... they're the real deal. Their competitiveness and their fight for each other, they're a real team."

The Aces made one of their best performances under coach Becky Hammon, who took over the team in 2022. Now, they want to get the job done in Game 3 and not allow the Liberty to stay alive and build momentum.

On the other hand, New York coach Sandy Brondello wants the Liberty to play with a sense of "urgency" and turn things around in the WNBA Finals.

"We had no resistance, and that's what I'm disappointed about, is that we didn't compete," the Liberty coach said, via ESPN. "There was no grit. And we talked about it, from the first game, and we know how to fight ... we've got to find some urgency. We've got to take some pride in playing better than what we did. No one's at all very happy or satisfied with how we played these last two games.

"Vegas is playing their best basketball at the moment. They're playing with all the confidence. You see the chemistry that they have. And for us, we haven't taken steps forward. We haven't shown it."

Las Vegas has the momentum on its side and looks like the favorite to win it all in the WNBA Finals. The question now is for the Liberty and whether they can contain their opponents and get back to the series. No team in WNBA history has come back from a 2-0 deficit.