Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

Getting rest during the All-Star Break could be good for the Aces, but it could be bad with how well they are playing right now.

The Aces have won seven of their last eight games with a 79-62 win over the Seattle Storm at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“There’s nothing better than going into All-Star break with a win,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “Any time before an All-Star break you never know how it’s going to go.  We got it.”

The Aces were led by forward Dearica Hamby with 24 points, who is starting in place of injured forward A’ja Wilson.  Liz Cambage recorded her third straight double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The Aces held the Storm to just 35% from the field and forced 18 turnovers.

“Just playing hard and helping each other out,” said Hamby on their defensive effort.  “When we take care of the ball our defense is great.”

The Aces head into the All-Star Break with a 13-6 record and sit atop the WNBA standings.

Three Aces were elected as starters in the All-Star Game: Liz Cambage, Kayla McBride and A’ja Wilson (who will not play due to an ankle injury).

Wilson is an All-Star Game captain along with Washington Mercury’s Elena Delle Donne, who did a school yard draft to set the teams for Saturday’s All-Star Game in Las Vegas.

Wilson drafted Los Angeles Sparks’ Chelsea Gray with her first pick, Aces’ forward Kayla McBride with her second pick and Aces’ center Liz Cambage with her third pick.

“Oh, okay, I see how it is,” said Cambage jokingly on being picked third by Wilson.  “She clearly doesn’t love me like I thought she did, so I’m gonna have a heart-to-heart with her. It is what it is. At the end of the day, it’s just All-Star, I don’t actually really care that she chose me third.”

Aces head coach Bill Laimbeer with coach Wilson’s team.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 50th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (15 points).
• All five of the Aces starters scored in double figures, outscoring the Storm starters, 75-43.
• The Aces only got 4 points off the bench.
• Rookie Jackie Young scored a career-high 13 points.

Game Starters:

F – 5 Dearica Hamby
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum