Category: Las Vegas Aces

Aces Crush Valkyries For The Third Time This Season In Collective Effort 92-73

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Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) shoots over the Las Vegas Aces forward Nalyssa Smith (3) and Aces forward-center Brianna Turner (right) at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Sun Jun 21, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

There was not much the Las Vegas Aces (12-4) could not do in their third meeting with the Golden State Valkyries (10-7) winning the game 92-73. The best three-shooting team in the league were held to only five as the Aces held them to 5 of 30. The Aces starters were on fire winning the game with a truly collective effort. This had to be one of the best games played this season by Las Vegas offensively and defensively.

After the first ten minutes of play the Aces had a 32-17 lead. Las Vegas would extend their lead going into the half leading 49-30. This game went completely sideways in the third quarter and when the dust had settled the Aces had 77-49 lead going into the final quarter.

They were on fire and there was little chance of a Vegas meltdown. The Valkyries were unable to contain the onslaught. This game was pretty much a done deal when the fourth quarter got underway.

Game recap: This was a complete team effort. Jackie Young was the first player to exceed 20 points mid-way through the fourth quarter. She was nine of 12 with five minutes left in the game.

A’Ja Wilson was on the brink of a double double with 19 points and nine rebounds. Chelsea Gray had 15 points, Nalyssa Smith with 14. Jewell Lloyd had 11 points off the bench. There was not much the Aces couldn’t do in this one. They have won eight of their last ten games. At one time in this game the Aces had a 28 point lead and they were 46% from beyond the arc.

Las Vegas stuffed the Valkyries offense big time. Valkyrie Kayla Thornton, Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton had two points apiece. The two top starters for Golden State were Gabby Williams and Cecilia Zandalasini with a combined 22 points. The top three-point shooting team, their calling card if you will, went silent for the entire game going 5 of 30. Every mistake the Valkyries made, the Aces capitalized on, they made them pay big time, every time.

Game notes: The Aces are just coming off a win over the Phoenix Mercury on Wed Jun 17th to clinch a spot in the Commissioners Cup Championship that will be played in New York on June 30th. Sunday the Aces beat the Valkyries and it was their third meeting this season.

On May 31 Las Vegas won their first game with the Valkyries 91-81. In the second game it was a much closer game with the Aces coming out on top 84-79. Sunday the Aces picked up their third win against the Valkyie in Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Tuesday night the Aces will be back in action taking on the New York Liberty in Las Vegas. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

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Aces Pull Out All the Stops Beating Lynx 100-97

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Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson (22) is fired up after making a play against the Minnesota Lynx in the second half at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Jun 13, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

This was not a game for the weak of heart. The fourth quarter was about as intense as it could have gotten with the lead bouncing back and forth as the seconds ticked away. This game was not decided until the clock displayed 3.5 seconds.

The Las Vegas Aces (10-3) came away with a 100-97 win against the Minnesota Lynx (10-3) at Michelob ULTRA Arena and it was appropriately Chelsea Gray who closed out the game with a couple of free throws for the win. She finished the game the way she has started it.

This highly anticipated matchup should prove to be a real battle as this game got underway. When the dust had settled on the first ten minutes of play the Aces had a 32-21 lead.

This was exactly the start that Las Vegas wanted to see and the task now remained; could they keep the pressure on the Lynx for the three remaining quarters. Chelsea Gray had picked up right where she had left off in their last game hitting four three’s.

Gray was the perfect opening act and there was not doubt that she would be covered like a blanket in the second quarter. Everything was clicking offensively going forward in this game.

The Lynx were able to outscore the Aces in the second quarter 30-25. At the half the Aces continued to lead 57-51 but their lead had been trimmed significantly. Minnesota put the wraps on Gray in the quarter as expected.

She had scored 12 points in the opening quarter and only 4 in the second. Having the hot hand in any game draws a lot of defensive attention and she was getting plenty. With the likes of A’ja Wilson, Nalyssa Smith, Jackie Young and Chennedy Carter plus trying to put the stops on Gray the Lynx did a great job winning the quarter.

The Aces had hit seven three’s in the first half. With less scoring from Gray, Wilson picked up the slack keeping that lead going into the half. The Lynx’s Natasha Howard had a great first half but on the downside she already had three personal fouls as did rookie Olivia Miles who had also been scoring a lot of points.

None of the Aces were in foul trouble in the first half. The largest lead in the game was a 15 point Ace advantage. The second half was gearing up to be a real battle.

The Aces outscored Minnesota in the third quarter by a single point 21-20 and going into the final quarter Las Vegas had a 78-71 lead. The Lynx had turned this game around and had Las Vegas fighting to keep the lead. Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard were a huge part of this turnaround.

Going into the fourth quarter Young had really begun to heat up which made things so much tougher on Minnesota. With under three minutes left on the clock it was a 2 point game 89-87 in favor of Las Vegas.

This game was going down to the wire and the Aces needed stops and buckets. This was anyone’s game and Minnesota had some crazy momentum going. It would be a wild finish as the Lynx continued to trail the Aces by a basket 91-89.

With 48 seconds left in the game the Lynx had taken their first lead 94-93 since the first quarter. Las Vegas took a brief lead when Jewell Lloyd hit three free throws. The lead bounced back and forth and with 20.5 seconds left on the clock the Aces had a 98-97 lead.

This game would come to an end pretty much the way it had started: with Gray hitting a couple of free throws and the Ace’s had won the game 100-97. Gray and her teammates had pulled out an amazing win.

This was just another wild nail-biter we have seen this season from the Aces. Their tenacity and discipline along with their skill has served them well. Wilson finished the game with a double double, 24 points and ten rebounds.

Gray was amazing hitting 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. She finished with 23 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists. Young had 16 points and 10 assists. Smith had 15 points and 6 rebounds, Las Vegas had 11 three’s in this game.

The Lynx put up quite a fight in this game and very nearly beat the Ace’s. Losing this game had to have been a terrible disappointment considering the three incredible quarters they played. They completely turned the game after the first quarter and had a very real shot at winning this game. Olivia Miles the Minnesota phenom had the high for the game with 29 points.

Game notes: The Aces right now are tied for first place and have been playing some outstanding basketball. With the win over the Lynx on Saturday the moved into a head to head tie as both team have identical records after the Aces won on Saturday night.

It is still early in the season but the standings are tight with five teams fighting to climb into the top spot that the Aces and Lynx occupy at the moment. Saturday night the Aces moved into the first spot sharing it with Minnesota.

Las Vegas has been steadily improving as we have finished over a quarter of the season. The incomparable A’Ja Wilson reached another milestone nearly a week ago in their game with the Seattle Storm becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 points doing it in 278 games.

She led her team last Thursday with 32 points in their win over the Portland Fire. Chelsea Gray had 29 points in that game and along with Jackie Young these three ladies are tearing up the court. Nalyssa Smith has also been terrific gobbling up rebounds and scoring double digits.

In Saturday night’s game but there is no doubt they had the fire power and defensive excellence to take care of business. Gray finished with 23 points, Young had 16 points and Smith finished with 15 points.

After this thriller, the Aces will have a day off to catch their breath before heading to Dallas for a matchup with the fifth place Wings Mon Jun 15th. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:00PM PDT.

Las Vegas Aces/WNBA game wrap: Aces Beat Tenacious Valkyries In Final Seconds 84-79

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Las Vegas Aces forward Jackie Young (0) takes a run on the floor against the Golden State Valkyries Janelle Salun (13) and Kalla Charles (6) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Jun 6, 2026 (Las Vegas X photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (7-3) won their game with the Golden State Valkyries (6-5) 84-79 after trailing with seconds left on the clock. In the third quarter each team scored 20 points and it was the fourth quarter that closed this game out for the Aces.

This game was uncomfortably close with 38 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter. The Aces pushed back took the lead 82-79. A’Ja Wilson closed this game out with two free throws for the final score of 84-79.

Game recap: The Aces took a 20-13 lead in the first ten minutes of play. The Valkyries made up some of the difference in the second quarter outscoring the Aces 22-18 in the second quarter. At the half it was a very close game with Las Vegas leading 38-35.

This game could not have been any closer as the third quarter came to an end. Each team had scored 20 points in the quarter with the Aces still hanging onto a three-point lead 58-55. It was anyone’s game going into the fourth quarter.

Las Vegas led by as much as 12 points in this game but the tenacious Valkyries refused to go away fighting back for the entire game. The Aces outscored Golden State in the fourth quarter 26-24 winning the game 84-79.

The difference in this game was A’Ja Wilson and Jackie Young. Wilson had a double double scoring 28 points with 14 rebounds. This was her third consecutive double- double and her fifth this season. Jackie Young really rose to the occasion scoring 27 points and was red-hot from beyond the arc hitting six of eight shots.

This was their first home win this season. Chelsea Gray had a terrific game scoring 12 points, with 6 rebounds and 6 assists. The Aces have now won three games in a row; they have really started to play some great ball. This is the Aces second win over the Valkyries beating them last Sunday in San Francisco the score 91-81.

Las Vegas was without Chennedy Carter who missed her second consecutive game with a left leg and hip injury. She collided with an opposing player in a game with the Valkyries in San Francisco last Sunday causing her to fall on her hip.

Carter has been nothing short of amazing and the team really needs her. It was hinted that she would return last week against the Sparks but it didn’t happen. There has been no announced timeline for the return of Carter but it hopefully will be in the near future.

The Valkyries are currently in seventh place in the standings and they got some great work from Gabby Williams who scored 27 points. Veronica Burton scored 15 points and Kayla Thornton got so close to a double-double with ten points and nine rebounds. The Valkyries will continue to nip at the heels of the Aces, the Dream and the Wings. They had an amazing inaugural season and look to be even better this season.

Game notes: The Aces are having a solid season and right now they are sitting in second place tied with the Dallas Wings in the Western Conference. The Golden State Valkyries are in fourth place a game and a half behind the Aces.

Saturday’s matchup with the Golden State Valkyries had all the makings of a very competitive game. The Valkyries Gabby Williams 28 points and Veronica Burton 15 points . On the other hand the Valkyries dealt with the incomparable A’Ja Wilson who led Vegas with 28 points as well as Jackie Young 27 points and Chelsea Gray with 12 points. This game was decided by five points as the Aces stayed ahead of the Valkyries on Saturday.

Next up for the Aces will be a matchup with the Seattle Storm at home Monday night. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM. With such a quick turnaround chances are that the Aces will not be seeing Chennedy Carter as they await her return to the court.

Kelsey Plum and the Sparks Hand Aces Second Loss of the Season 101-95

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Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) drives on the Los Angeles Sparks forward Park Ji-hyun (6) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat May 23, 2026 (Las Vegas Aces X photo)

By Rich Perez

The last game that the Las Vegas Aces (4-2) was a wild affair winning that game by a single point and Saturday night’s game was more of the same. The Los Angeles Sparks (3-3) gave Las Vegas all they could handle winning the game 101-95. Former Ace Kelsey Plum was outstanding scoring 38 points with ninth rebounds. The Aces A’Ja Wilson had a double double finishing with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Game recap: The Sparks came out in the first quarter with a lot of energy. Las Vegas would be facing former team-mate Kelsey Plum and she sure did show up with four three’s made in the opening quarter.

She finished the quarter scoring 14 points. As in the Aces last game Chennedy Carter coming off the bench was on fire hitting 10 points in 8 minutes. The two teams traded leads with the Sparks leading much of the time and when the quarter came to an end the Sparks had a 32-30 lead. This game had all the makings of a real barn-burner.

Much like the opening quarter the second quarter was equally competitive, both teams jockeying for the lead. The game remained tight with four points being the largest lead for both the Aces and the Sparks.

The three’s were flying, the Sparks hitting seven and the Aces hitting six. Despite the 11 turnovers, the Sparks were giving the Aces the fight of their lives. When the first half came to an end, the Aces had outscored the Sparks 22-14 in the second quarter and took a 52-46 lead into the half.

At 7:42 in the third quarter the Aces took their largest lead of the game 57-48. Just when Las Vegas started to put a little distance between themselves and the Sparks Los Angeles rallied back taking a 58-57 lead going on a 10-0 run prompting an Aces timeout.

With seconds left on the clock in the third, the Aces were hanging onto a 71-70. After three quarters this game could not be any tighter with the Sparks outscoring the Aces in the quarter 26-21.

The Aces took a slim 73-72 lead into the fourth quarter. It would all comes down to the final quarter in this aggressive, fierce and impassioned game. Which team would have the determination and discipline to pull this game out?

The Sparks took an early fourth quarter lead 80-73 a minute into the quarter and the Aces had some work to do. Las Vegas was missing far too many shots trailing by six points 82-76 with just under six minutes left in the game.

With 5:30 left in the game Las Vegas rallied trailing by a single point 81-82 sending the arena into a wild frenzy. This game was reminiscent of the Aces last game against Atlanta. It was nothing short of amazing with A’Ja Wilson and Chelsea Grey’s will to win obvious in the final minutes.

This game was tied at 90 with three minutes left in the game. The Aces came up just short in this game. With 29.7 left in the game Los Angeles had a 99-94 lead. The many missed shots by Las Vegas down the stretch in the fourth quarter were looming large as Las Vegas faced their second loss of the season. The Sparks had pulled this game out 101-95 for the victory.

Las Vegas had some nice numbers from A’Ja Wilson who finished with a double double, 24 points and 15 rebounds. Nalyssa Smith finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds and bench player Chennedy Carter shot for 23 points. The Aces came up just short in this game. They missed a few too many shots down the stretch in the fourth quarter.

Los Angeles’ Kelsey Plum had the game high with 38 points and 9 assists.

Game notes: It has been a minute since the Aces took the court, their last game played in Atlanta five days ago in a real nail-biter that saw Las Vegas win in the final seconds 85-84. Chelsea Gray made the go-ahead jumper with 3.6 seconds left on the clock for the win. Saturday night the Aces lost at Michelob ULTRA Arena to the Sparks. The Sparks last played Thursday night against the Phoenix Mercury winning that match-up 97-88.

Next up for the Aces will be a matchup with the Dallas Wings next Thursday night. Los Vegas will be on the road for this game. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM and can be viewed on Prime Video.

WNBA Finals: Aces Take 2-0 Series Lead Beating Mercury 91-78

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Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) is fired up after making a three pointer in second half action against the Phoenix Mercury in game two of the WNBA Finals at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas Sun Oct 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

After an extremely close game one, the Las Vegas Aces (2-0) took it to the Phoenix Mercury (0-2) dominating them in the second game of the series winning by the score of 91-78. The Aces had taken more than a 20 point lead during the fourth quarter.

Las Vegas played three amazing quarters after a slow first quarter. Jackie Young had the game high with 32 points and eight rebounds, A’Ja Wilson finished with a double double 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Chelsea Gray came so very close to a triple double with 10 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Las Vegas takes a 2-0 series lead into game three in Phoenix next Wednesday.

Game recap: Much like Friday’s game the Mercury got a hot start leading 7-0 before the Aces even got up on the scoreboard. Phoenix took as much as an eight point lead before the Aces started to chip away at their lead.

With 3:39 left in the first quarter the Aces had tied the game at 16 going on to take their first lead of the game 18-16 with 3:17 left on the clock. This opening quarter was played at a feverish pace by both teams and after the first ten minutes of play, the Mercury had a 27-24 lead.

Las Vegas came into the second quarter red-hot. They erased the Mercury’s lead taking a 38-33 lead at the four minutes mark. Phoenix had taken as much as a 31-24 lead before the Aces started to really cook.

A’Ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray were instrumental in the turnaround. Wilson scored nine points in an 11-0 run by Las Vegas leading 38-33 with under four minutes left in the half.

The Wilson-Gray connection continued through the rest of the quarter. It was a 20 point half of basketball for Wilson she had outscored Phoenix in the quarter all by herself. At the half the Aces had a 46-37 lead. The Aces had an amazing defense in the second quarter and combined with the brilliance of Wilson Las Vegas was rolling.

Each team had eight turnovers in a highly competitive first half of basketball. There had been a 17 point swing in the first two quarters thanks to Wilson who had been unstoppable in the second quarter.

Both Jackie Young and Gray were on the verge of double digits and they had both laid a lot of the groundwork for Wilson. The Aces would be looking to take this momentum into the second half of play.

The Aces took several double digit leads throughout the third quarter. Despite that, this game was hardly over as Phoenix cut the 12 point Las Vegas lead to eight 55-47 six minutes into the quarter.

Both of these teams have the ability to erase opposing team leads in a flash. At 2:35, however the Aces took their largest lead of the game 65-51. Both Young and Gray had double digits, Young with 28 points.

Young had 19 points in the third quarter so far. Going into the fourth quarter the Aces had a 76-61 lead and Young had a new WNBA finals record with 21 points scored in the third. She finished with 30 points through three quarters. The Aces now had to take care of business in the fourth quarter and close this game out.

The Aces effort in the fourth quarter was off the charts. They pushed their lead over the Mercury to 22 points 83-61 at 8:44. Las Vegas was on a mission and there would be no stopping them.

The Mercury fought back cutting the Aces 22 point lead to 15 with a 7-0 run but they would not be able to overcome the deficit. The Las Vegas offense pushed their lead back out to 90-71 with 5:44 left on the clock.

The Mercury fought a good fight and did cut the Aces lead to 12 points 90-78 with under two minutes left in the game but the Aces held on without Wilson on the floor winning game two 91-78 taking a 2-0 series lead.

This was without doubt the Wilson, Young and Gray show. They rose to the occasion and played some beautiful basketball on both ends of the court, in fact the entire team was outstanding. It was a total team effort through three quarters.

The bench was on the quiet side but when one struggles, someone on the team picks it up something that has made them so very successful. Young had the game high with 30 points and eight rebounds. Wilson had a double double with 28 points, 14 rebounds and Gray came close to a triple double with ten points, ten assists and eight rebounds. Lloyd had nine points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Game notes: The atmosphere was electric at Michelob ULTRA Arena as the Aces took on the Mercury in game two of the WNBA Finals. In Friday’s game one the Aces despite trailing for much of game one came away with the win 89-86 in a hotly contested game. They came on strong in the fourth quarter outscoring the Mercury 22-15 which was the turning point in that game.

The Aces got their starters to step up but also their bench which was solid in game one. Jewell Loyd finished that game with 18 point but Dana Evans had an amazing game scoring 21 points. The Las Vegas bench was a huge factor in the win to start off the series. The Aces took game two for a 2-0 lead in the series before they head to Phoenix for games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday nights.

The Aces now take their 2-0 series lead into Phoenix for game three. That game will be played at PHX Arena next Wednesday with tipoff scheduled for 5:00 PM. The Aces will be looking to take at least one game of the two games played in Phoenix and bring a 3-1 lead back home to Michelob ULTRA Arena.

WNBA Finals: Aces Bench On Fire – Leads Las Vegas to Win Over Mercury 89-86 In Game One

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Phoenix Mercury forward Aylssa Thomas (25) drives on the Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) in the first half at ULTRA Michelob Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Oct 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (1-0) trailed for much of this game but remained within striking distance for most of it ultimately beating the surging Phoenix Mercury (0-1) 89-86. The Aces bench was amazing with Dana Evans hitting 21 points.

She was 5 of 6 from downtown and 8 of 13 from the field. It was a fight from start to finish with Las Vegas closing out the game in the final seconds. Game two promises more of the same.

Game recap: The opening quarter was all Phoenix to start taking a 15-8 lead in the early minutes of the quarter. It was exactly the start that Phoenix was looking for. At the three minute mark the Aces begin to pick away at the Mercury lead.

With 50 seconds left on the clock the Aces tied up the game at 21 and as the opening quarter came to an end the tie remained.

The score remained close in the second quarter. with both teams trading leads. The Mercury began to take a bit of a lead in the latter minutes of the quarter and with 1:19 left in the half had a 50-42 lead over Las Vegas.

Kahleah Copper was having an amazing game hitting 5 of 6 from downtown shooting for 19 points in the first half. Phoenix had a 50-45 lead at the half outscoring the Aces 29-24 in the second quarter.

25 of the Aces points scored in the first half came from some stellar play off the bench. Jewell Loyd hit 13 points and Dana Evans had ten.

Wilson finished the half with nine points and Young had eight. They would be looking for more in the second half. They would need to really step it up to keep up with the surging Mercury. Wilson, Young and Gray had to push their limits in the third and fourth quarters.

The third quarter got underway and in a flash, the Aces scored the first six points of the quarter and Las Vegas had a 51-50 lead. The Mercury responded with a 7-0 run taking a 57-51 lead. Both of these teams were shooting around 50% from the field and the Aces had only turned the ball over four times.

The Mercury were also shooting at 50% from beyond the arc most of those shots coming from Copper who also had shot well from the field hitting 7 of 9. Gray took a hard hit in the quarter when she collided with Copper who received a flagrant foul type 1.

Gray who fouled while attempting a three successfully hit all three free throws tying up the game at 57. Gray would go to the locker room after the successful free throws and would return with her leg taped.

The Mercury took a 66-57 lead with under four minutes left in the quarter. Phoenix’s Sami Whitcomb took a terrible hit that sent her to the locker room for evaluation. She was able to reach the locker room with help.

The Aces were getting close throughout the quarter but were unable to take the lead . Every time they threatened the Mercury pushed right back continuing to hang onto the lead. Going into the fourth quarter, Phoenix had a 71-67 advantage.

The fourth quarter got underway hot and heavy with each team hitting a three but Phoenix continued to lead 74-70. Dana Evans hit the Aces seventh three of the game and Las Vegas trailed by a single point 76-75.

With 4:21 left in the game it was all tied up at 82. With 3:37 left on the clock Dana Evans hit her 5th three of the game giving the Aces an 85-82 lead. She had been spectacular all game. With seconds left in the game the Aces had a one-point lead 87-86.

Young was fouled with 13.6 seconds left in the game and made both free throws giving the Aces an 89-86 lead which turned out to be the final. The Aces had won an unbelievable opening act in this series.

The Las Vegas bench was outstanding collectively scoring 41 points. Evans had the high on the bench with 21 points. Wilson also had 21 points and ten assists. Loyd finished the game with 18 points. Young chipped in ten points in this hard-fought win in game one. The Aces protected the ball well in the game with only seven turnovers.

The high for the Mercury was Copper who scored 21 points. She scored 19 of those points in the first half was only able to hit one basket in the entire second half. The Mercury played an amazing game but were unable to close out the game at the end.

Game notes: Friday evening the Las Vegas Aces began their most important series of the 2025 season taking on the Phoenix Mercury in game one of the WNBA finals. The Aces will be looking for a third championship in the past four years. The Mercury are in the finals for the first time since 2021 and after upsetting the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the semi-final series will be looking to pull off another upset and take home the title.

The Aces have a far different vision with the amazing Wilson leading the charge and Young, Gray and Lloyd along for the ride. This game has all the makings of an amazing championship series between two of the best teams the WNBA has to offer.

With the series getting underway at Michelob ULTRA Arena the Aces start the series with the first two games at home. They will had the support of their fans and it was enough to really spark them to a win in this first game of the series.

The Aces will now try to take a two-game lead before going back to Phoenix for game three. Game two is scheduled to get underway this Sunday with tipoff at 12:00 PM in Vegas. Game two can be seen on ABC TV.

Aces Head Into WNBA Finals With Hard Fought Win Over Fever In Overtime 107-98

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Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) drives on Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) in game 5 of the WNBA semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Sep 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

By RIch Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (3-2) beat the Indiana Fever (2-3) in overtime 107-98 Tuesday night to punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals which will begin on Friday October 3rd. The Aces will be looking for their third title in four years.

Both teams fought tooth and nail in this gritty game by both teams. This had to be one of the toughest games Las Vegas has played all season and they won it together. The best news of all, the Aces will have home court advantage with the number one seeded Lynx losing their series.

Game recap: At the end of the first quarter this game was tied at 23. There were six ties in the opening quarter as this game see-sawed back and forth with the two teams trading leads.

The second quarter was also remarkable with more of the same, a hotly contested game. The Aces won the second quarter by the slimmest of points 24-22 taking a 47-45 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Aces were protecting the ball well with only five turnovers in the first half while the Fever was struggling with ten. Both A’Ja Wilson and Jackie Young were having outstanding games. The Aces biggest lead of the game in the first half was 5 points.

They would start the third quarter on a bit of a sour note however when Chelsea Gray suffered an injury that sent her off to the locker room for evaluation and treatment. It appeared that she had injured her foot and the team was waiting for more word.

As the third quarter wore on the Aces had taken their largest lead of the game 59-52 with 6:20 left on the clock. With just under six minutes left in the quarter Wilson and Young had each scored 18 points. Chelsea Gray had made her way back out to the bench and checked back into the game in obvious pain but determined to get back out on the floor.

With five minutes left in the third quarter the Fever suffered more woes. Aliyah Boston committed her fifth foul and Kelsey Mitchell went down with what seemed to be cramps. Mitchell’s knee had appeared to be giving her trouble in the later minutes of the quarter.

A gurney was actually rolled out on the court. Mitchell was finally able to get to her feet after what seemed like an eternity. She needed a lot of help getting back to the locker room and it was just another horrible blow for the Fever who had fought injury all season long.

She was unable to put weight on her left quad but was also having pain in her right knee, possible cramping. Despite the setbacks the Fever fought back pulling to within four points with a minute left in the quarter. After three quarters, the Aces had a 71-63 lead. It would all come down to the fourth quarter.

The Fever pulled to within five points of Las Vegas in the fourth quarter 73-68 but the Aces pushed their lead back out to 77-68 with 7:00 left in the game. With three minutes left in the game the Fever had fought to within two points 82-80.

When it looked like the Aces had this game in hand, the Fever came roaring back. With 52 seconds left in the game this matchup was tied at 84 and the Aces season was on the line. Both teams fought to the bitter end of regulation and with the score tied at 86 this game went into overtime.

Fever head coach Stephanie White got her team going right after the Mitchell injury. During a time-out she inspired her players to play for each other, and they sure answered the call. They played incredible final minutes of the fourth quarter and they were outstanding not only offensively but defensively.

The Aces scored the first points of the overtime taking a 92-89 lead. With under two minutes left in the game Las Vegas had a 97-93 lead. The Aces continued to push the lead taking a 99-93 lead with 1:09 left on the clock.

The Fever had refused to back off but they were running out of time; the Aces clearly showing their playoff experience and with the lead they could taste the win. Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd had scored the first 13 points in overtime.

With 22.6 left in the game, it was a one possession game with the Aces leading 101-98. This was still anyone’s game. The Aces put the finishing touches on this game taking a 105-98 lead with 12 seconds left on the clock.

A lot of credit goes to both of these teams putting on an electric show that went right down to the wire. Wilson finished with 35 points followed by Young who shot for 32. Despite her injury Gray had 17 points and the bench had a combined 18 points. It was an absolute team effort.

The Fever had six players in double digits. The high for Indiana was Odyssey Sims who finished with 27 points. Boston had a double double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Indiana fought hard from start to finish coming up nine points short.

Game notes: It all came down to the winner who goes to the WNBA final and the loser goes home and the Aces will be making that trip to the WNBA Finals with their win over the Phoenix Mercury.

Tuesday night the second-seeded Aces defeated the Fever and will make the trip to the WNBA finals. Wilson had an amazing game in their loss in game four finishing with 31 points and nine rebounds.

She got even more in game five leading with 35 points and the entire team really stepped up against a determined, skilled Indiana Fever on Tuesday night.

Game four was a close contest throughout the game with the Aces coming out on top 90-83 to tie up the series 2-2 last Sunday in Indianapolis.

The Las Vegas bench featuring Jewell Lloyd and Dana Evans contributed big with Lloyd scoring eight points and Evans with five. Everything was on the line Tuesday night and the Aces pulled it off and advance now to the WNBA Finals..

Friday night Oct 3 the WNBA finals will get underway with the Las Vegas Aces taking on the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury had won their semi-final series beating the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx last Sunday 3-1.

With the Lynx losing the series, the second-seeded Aces will start this series in game 1 at their home court Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tipoff for this game is scheduled at 5:00 PM.

Aces Tie Up Series Winning Game Two Beating Fever 90-68

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Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) takes a shot over the Indiana Fever forward Brianna Turner (11) in game 2 of the WNBA playoffs at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (1-1) played a spectacular game Tuesday night beating the Indiana Fever (1-1) 90-68. Tonight’s game was a complete contrast to the game they played Sunday night. They controlled the pace of the game and they continued to extend their lead with each quarter busting the game wide open in the fourth quarter.

A’Ja Wilson was back in form hitting 25 points, nine rebounds with five steals. Nalyssa Smith finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. They held Indiana to 40% shooting in this game. They were spotless.

Game recap: What a difference a day makes as Las Vegas took command of this game winning the opening quarter 26-17. The Fever fought back going on a 8-0 run in the second quarter but Las Vegas continued to lead going into halftime leading 46-35.

Wilson was much more efficient in this game. The Aces were really spreading the floor, staying focused in this hotly contested matchup. The Fever’s Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell both had double digits in the first half.

Wilson finished the first half with 15 points, Jackie Young and Nalyssa Smith had ten points apiece. They led at the half 46-35 and they would have to keep dictating the pace throughout the second half.

The Aces were piling up the personal fouls though, Young with three, Nalyssa Smith with four and Chelsea Gray with two. This was something they had to clean up in the second half. They had as much as an 18 point lead in the first half.

The Aces began to extend their lead after the Fever had cut the Las Vegas lead to single digits. Mid-Way through the third quarter, the Aces had taken a 59-44 lead going on a 7-0 run. The contrast between Sunday’s game and Tuesday night’s was vast and that was apparent on the scoreboard.

Their defense was a huge part of their success tonight. The Aces had really shown up for Tuesday night’s game. Through three quarters the Aces were shooting at 60% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.

The Fever were 35% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, quite a disparity. Pinpoint passes, offensive excellence and some great defense gave the Aces their largest lead of the game with 1:00 left in the third 69-47. After three full quarters the Aces had a 70-52 lead.

The entire team had to step up in this game and they sure answered the call. They did not want to have to go to Indiana trailing by two games. They would have to continue to control the pace and disrupt the Fever’s rhythm for one more quarter to close out this game.

The Aces broke this game wide open at 6:55 in the fourth quarter taking a 80-56 lead. Indiana continued to shoot poorly and their turnovers were really hurting them committing 22 conceding 28 points off those turnovers.

Indiana only had six points off their bench while the Aces had 24 points. Las Vegas played the kind of game we are used to seeing them play. They were spot-on.

Game notes: After playing a lack luster game one, Aces tied up their series with the Fever with a win in game two. In game one Sunday night the Aces were outplayed from the field, from beyond the arc and defensively.

Wilson had not only a slow start but only scored four points in the third quarter missing four shots. She really struggled in the fourth quarter only taking one shot that missed and coming away empty in the entire quarter in the 89-73 loss.

The Fever outscored the Aces in all four quarters keeping Las Vegas from making any kind of comeback. Indiana was able to contain WIlson only allowing her to score 16 points but she did have a double double with 13 rebounds. The Fever controlled the pace of the game throughout and the Aces were able to reverse that trend and take control of game two from the start.

The two teams will now head back to Indiana enjoying a few days off before they play game three on Friday night with tip-off scheduled for 4:30 PM. While the perfect scenario for the Aces would be to finish the series in Indiana with wins in games 3 and 4. The Aces are looking to take at least one game.

Las Vegas would play the fifth game of the series should that happen on Sep 30th in Vegas. The team needs to bring the same energy into the next two games and they could very well finish this series sooner rather than later.

Aces Outplayed by Fever – Lose At Home 89-73 In Shocker

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The Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) takes a shot against the Indiana Fever forward Mikayla Thompson (21) in game 1 of the WNBA playoff semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (0-1) never really got started in their matchup with the Indiana Fever (1-0). losing 89-73. They trailed for the entire second half and the Fever really put the stops on A’Ja Wilson who finished the game with 16 points.

The good news is that we have seen Wilson came away with a low-scoring game only to be followed up by some amazing numbers. There is little doubt that the Aces will come back on Tuesday night in game two with an entirely re-worked mindset.

Game recap: The Fever came out hot, the Aces not so much in fact it was a bit of a dismal start. They were missing a lot of shots around the rim and just did not look sharp to start this game. They were trailing 19-10 with under three minutes left in the first ten minutes of play.

It was a troubling start for Las Vegas. With under a minute left in the first quarter something within the Aces began to turn around as they started to chip away at the Fever’s lead. The Aces went on an 8-0 run and as the clock expired the Fever were clinging onto a one-point lead 19-18.

After such an awful start the Las Vegas Aces would be looking to start the second quarter in the same way they finished the first quarter. In the early moments of the second quarter the Aces took their first lead of the game 21-19.

The bad news for the Fever was the second foul on Aliyah Boston. Mid-way through the second quarter this game was tied at 25. The Aces were protecting the ball well with only three turnovers but they continued to miss too many shots around the rim.

Neither team was doing a whole lot from beyond the arc but what the Fever had going for them was a better shooting percentage from the field. The final seconds of the first half saw the Aces self-destruct with turnovers and fouls falling behind 41-36. The Fever had outscored the Aces 22-18 in the second quarter.

The third quarter went from bad to worse as the Fever continued to push their lead and mid-way through the quarter had taken a 57-45 lead. Indiana had come into this game with the perfect game plan part of which was.putting the stops on Wilson.

They had also shut down Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. The Fever had owned the 50/50 ball. Jewell Loyd had been on the floor for 17 minutes without a single point. The Aces got as close as three points 58-55 at 2:51 but the Fever pushed right back taking a 69-55 lead as the quarter came to an end.

It got even more precarious with Wilson committing four personal fouls. The Aces got close at times throughout the game but just could not push the game over the top and take control of the pace of the game.

Las Vegas had been unable to contain Kelsey Mitchell who had the game high 31 points with six minutes left in the game. Wilson had a double double with 13 rebounds but only 16 points. Losing at home was not something that the Aces wanted to entertain.

More than anything, the Aces needed stops with 4:20 left in the game and trailing 82-69. Wilson had only hit one field goal in the entire second half. Las Vegas needed to make stops and of course the Fever began to bleed the clock with two minutes left in the game.

This game was all but done and Las Vegas had lost at home. The road forward would be a tough one but if there is any team in the WNBA that could pull it out, all bets are on the Los Vegas Aces. The final was 89-73 in a heart-breaking loss.

Jackie Young finished the game with 16 points and Wilson had yet another double double with 13 rebounds and 16 points. Chelsea Gray chipped in 13 points and Dana Evans had a great game off the bench with 14 points.

The Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell had the game high with 34 points. Odyssey Sims finished with 17 points and Natasha Howard had a double double with 11 rebounds and 12 points.

Game notes: After beating the Seattle Storm in game three of their series by a single point 74-73 the Las Vegas Aces lost to the Indiana Fever in the first game of the semi-finals Sunday afternoon. The Aces are the second seed and started the series on their home court Michelob ULTRA Arena.

After an outstanding game three in their last series Wilson scored 38 points and the Fever defended her well enough to limit scoring to 16 a big difference from game 3 vs. Seattle. Jewell Lloyd had a quite game with 3 points.

The Aces know what each of them are capable of and they really needed them in this game. This was true test for the Aces as they take on the best of the best only to lose by 16 points on their home floor.

The Las Vegas Aces now have their work cut out for them as they return to Michelob ULTRA Arena on Tuesday to host Indiana in game two. They can beat the tough teams as evidenced by their 17 straight winning streak to finish the season.

They will have to put an improved game plan into action on Tuesday and there is little doubt that the Aces will see a different team on the court.

The Fever are a group of fighters that play for their fans, fight for each other and fight for themselves. The Aces will have their hands full on Tuesday night in Vegas for game 2. Tip-off for this game is scheduled for 6:30 PM and be seen on ESPN.

Aces Edge Storm To Win Series 74-73; Indiana up next round on Sunday

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after a play against the Seattle Storm during the first half of Game 3 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–This game was not decided until the final seconds of the game as the Las Vegas Aces( 2-1) beat the Seattle Storm (1-2) 74-73 winning the series and moving on to the semifinals where they will meet the Indiana Fever on Sunday.

This game went right down to the wire with the Aces coming out on top. A’Ja Wilson just kept on doing her thing which is always extraordinary. She finished the game with 38 points carrying the team on her back. She got great support from Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.

Game recap: The Storm had the lead after the first ten minutes of play 19-14 and as the second quarter got underway the Aces surged taking the quarter 19-7 and leading at the half 33-26. They would be looking to take that momentum into the second half.

The Storm refused to fold outscoring the Aces in the third quarter 22-19 and pulling to within four points 48-52. It would turn out to be a barn-burner of a fourth quarter.

The Aces continued to hold onto the lead but could not put much distance between themselves and the Storm. Seattle continued to hang around. With under seven minutes left in the game it was a one-point differential 58-57 with Las Vegas clinging to the lead.

The Aces pushed their lead back out to 66-61 with under three minutes left in the game. With under two minutes left in the game it was all tied up at 68 as the Storm continued to punch back refusing to throw in the towel.

The last two minutes in the game were not designed for the weak-of-heart. Both teams dug deep with the Storm taking the lead 71-70 with 1:14 left on the clock. At 1:03 Las Vegas took back the lead 72-71 but this game was far from over.

The Storm’s Erica Wheeler gave her team the lead back 73-72 with 19.3 left in this game. Wilson missed a jump shot that was rebounded by Young who tipped the shot in for a 74-73 lead. With 12.4 on the clock, the Aces did a bang-up job on defense in the final seconds forcing a missed shot from Erica Wheeler and that was the ball game. The Las Vegas Aces had won the game 74-73 and the series moving onto the next round.

Nneka Ogwumike had the high for the Storm with 16 points and Skylar Diggins had 13 points. Off the bench Wheeler was magnificent with 16 points putting her team in a great position to win this game. She ironically hit the shot in the closing minutes that gave the Storm the lead but she also missed the shot at the very end of the game as the clock ran out.

Wilson had an amazing showing scoring 38 points and Young hit 14 points with Chelsea Gray scoring 12 points. Jewell Loyd had four points and Dana Evans only two, a quiet night for both of them.

Game notes: Thursday night the Aces beat the Storm in game 3 of their series to advance to round 2 of the WNBA playoffs. After splitting the series the Aces they win game 3 at Michelob ULTRA Arena moving on to the semifinals.

Tuesday night the Aces had a 79-70 lead with four minutes left in the game. Everything indicated an Aces win but fouls, turnovers and missed shots let Seattle back in the game and they took full advantage scoring 16 points in the final minutes while the Aces were stuffed only scoring four points.

Now Las Vegas won the winner-take-all game. The good news for the Aces is that with the 2nd seed they had home court advantage. A’Ja Wilson has said “home crowds are always like your sixth man,” and the Aces will really need them Thursday night.

The way they fell off to close out the game Tuesday was very unlike the Aces who typically finish strong. Neither team has roster player injuries and it was a hotly contested game. The Las Vegas loss broke the teams 17 straight win streak and they got back on the winning track.

An eventual loss was a possibility but it was painful nonetheless. The Las Vegas collapse in the final four minutes was something they had not seen in their past 17 games. The loss got the Aces back on track and even more determined as they advanced in the playoffs.

The Aces will broiught their “A game”; they knew what they had to do to win this game. The sell-out crowd was their ally from start to finish as they strived to move onto the next round.

The Las Vegas Aces will now move on to the semifinals for a matchup with the Indiana Fever. The Fever upset the Atlanta Dream Thursday night 87-85 to move onto the next round. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for Sunday September 21 at 12:00PM. The second seeded Aces will meet the Fever at Michelob ULTRA Arena for game one of this series.