Category: Las Vegas Aces
Aces see playoff hopes slipping away in 89-73 loss to Lynx
Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service
By Shawn McCullough
Things looked promising at the All-Star break for the playoff chances of the Las Vegas Aces, but after five straight losses, playoffs are now very unlikely.
The Aces lost to the Minnesota Lynx 89-73 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
“We really can’t hang our head down about this loss,” said forward A’ja Wilson. “We really just have to keep pushing especially when trying to make a playoff push. You really don’t know what’s going to happen. So for us to just keep reaching for our playoff goals and see that light.”
Wilson scored a team-high 18 points and pulled down six rebounds while the team’s second leading scorer this season, Kayla McBride, was held to just seven points.
The 73 points scored by the Aces was the lowest point total since an 87-71 loss to the Sparks in Los Angeles on July 1st.
“You have to win games on the road and games at home, so we can’t use that as an excuse for our lapse of tonight,” said guard Tamera Young on their struggles after the All-Star break. “We just have to be more mature and communicate and bring the intensity every single game. It’s our profession and job, it’s what we have to do.”
With the loss, the Aces fell to 12-18 on the season and are 2.5 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot, currently held by Dallas, with just four games remaining in the regular season.
The remaining schedule is as follows:
8/11 – vs Indiana
8/15 – vs New York
8/17 – at Dallas
8/19 – vs Atlanta
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Notes:
- A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (18) for the 30th straight game.
- The Aces were held to just 37.5% shooting from the field.
- The Aces were out-rebounded 40-30.
- 4,497 Aces fans attended the game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Native American groups glad Cleveland removed offensive logo from uniforms and caps; After domestic violence charges, Osuna settling in at Astros; plus more
Photo credit: richmondfreepress.com
On Headline Sports with London:
The Cleveland Indians have removed the offensive Chief Wahoo logo from their caps and uniforms and replaced the logo with the block C. Native American Nations are relieved and glad that the racist logo had been removed. Cleveland said the removal was because the team wants to go in different direction in their marketing.
The Houston Astros’ controversial acquisition of pitcher Roberto Osuna has raised questions about his domestic violence charges and what impact it will have on the Astros clubhouse? Apparently whatever clubhouse issue that might have been was resolved after Osuna recorded his first win Monday night against the San Francisco Giants.
The NBA schedule is ready and has added LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to play the Golden State Warriors on Christmas day.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown his support in for LeBron after Trump questioned LeBron’s intelligence. The story was national headlines last week and Rodgers said he’s all behind LeBron for his interview with CNN’s Don Lemon.
The WNBA doesn’t get too much national headlines, but they did this week when the Las Vegas Aces canceled their game against the Washington Mystics. The Aces tried flying to Dallas to get a plane to Washington, but were delayed at both Vegas and Dallas. The trip took them some 26 hours to get to Washington. The Aces got to their hotel some four hours before tipoff and said it wasn’t safe to play with no sleep and decided against playing the game. The WNBA ruled that it was a forfeit and a loss in the loss column for the Aces.
Headline Sports podcasts can be heard with London Marq each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Aces falter in the fourth quarter, fall to Dream 109-100
Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces
By Shawn McCullough
The Atlanta Dream scored eight of the last 10 points of the game to beat the Aces 109-100 at McCamish Pavilion.
The Aces led 84-80 after three quarters, but Atlanta outscored Las Vegas 29-16 in the fourth quarter.
Four Aces scored in double digits including a team high 20 points from point guard Kelsey Plum.
Kayla McBride dropped 19 points, while A’ja Wilson added 18.
With the loss, the Aces have now lost four straight games coming out of the All-Star Break and have now dropped 2.5 games out of a playoff spot with five games remaining in the regular season.
The Aces will next return home on Thursday night to face the Minnesota Lynx at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Notes:
- The Aces shot 48.6% from the field and 42.9% from three point range.
- The Aces out rebounded the Dream 34-29.
- A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (18) for the 28th straight game.
- The Aces gave up a franchise high 109 points for the second straight game.
- The WNBA announced that the game between the Aces and the Mystics in Washington D.C., that was canceled due to Las Vegas travel issue, will count as a forfeit and a loss for the Aces.
Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
Aces drop their second straight game in 109-88 loss to Sun
Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces
By Shawn McCullough
Head coach Bill Laimbeer knew that the All-Star Break layoff was a very important time for his team to remain focused on their playoff push, but what he feared is becoming reality.
The Aces have struggled losing their second straight game out of the break 109-88 to the Sun in Connecticut.
This is the second straight game that their opponent has scored over 100 points, a feat that no team has done against the Aces since May 31st when the Seattle Storm beat Las Vegas 101-74.
Rookie A’ja Wilson scored 24 points while point guard Kelsey Plum dropped 21, going 5 for 6 from three point range.
The Aces committed 14 turnovers while being out-rebounded 35-26.
With the loss, the Aces dropped to 12-15 on the season and are 1.5 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
The Aces will next play the Dream in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Notes:
- The Aces took the lead early, but the Sun never trailed after 3:06 into the game.
- A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (24) for the 27th straight game.
- The 109 points given up by the Aces was the most in franchise history.
- The WNBA announced that the 2019 All-Star Game will be held in Las Vegas.
Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
Aces-Mystics game canceled in Washington, D.C.
Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service
By Shawn McCullough
It was a very long 24+ hours for the Las Vegas Aces.
The team was scheduled to depart McCarren International Airport in Las Vegas for Washington, D.C. at 1:13 pm Pacific on Thursday, but the flight was delayed multiple times for a total of close to eight hours and later canceled.
The team connected in Dallas early in the morning and later arrived in Washington, D.C. at 3 pm Eastern, four hours before the scheduled tip-off at Capital One Arena.
The WNBA delayed the start of the game to 8 pm Eastern and later decided to cancel the game.
Since fans had already arrived at the arena for the game, the Mystics organized a free autograph session with the Mystics players, refunded all tickets purchased and offered complimentary tickets to a future Mystics game.
The Aces will next play in Connecticut on Sunday against the Sun.
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Too Fast, Too Experienced: Taurasi takes over in Mercury’s big 104-93 road win over the Aces
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal
By Morris Phillips
On the surface, teaming a 36-year old point guard with a 6’8″ back-to-the-basket center, and having them play at the WNBA’s fastest pace seems like a recipe for disaster. But when the names–Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner–are plugged in, it’s readily apparent how the Las Vegas Aces found themselves in a pickle at the Delano Las Vegas on Wednesday night attempting to combat the Phoenix Mercury’s dynamic duo.
While the super-engaged Taurasi dropped 37 points and nine assists, and was ablely assisted by Griner, who added 25 points and 11 rebounds, you could argue that the Mercury’s 104-93 win wasn’t as much about the two stars, but the hypersonic pace employed by Phoenix, that tricked the Aces into rushing shots and committing fouls.
Afterwards, Aces head coach Bill Laimbeer didn’t seem so much focused on which of the factors was most responsible for his Aces’ shortcomings, just that his team didn’t meet the challenge in what was arguably their biggest game to date.
“I though that it was a game that if we came and played with intensity, we could have won,” Laimbeer revealed. “Well, we didn’t play very well across the board.”
With the loss, the Aces (12-14) fell two games behind the Dallas Wings in the race for the eighth and final postseason spot. In order to inch closer to Dallas, the Aces will have to get it done on the road with their next three contests away from the Mandalay Bay Events Center, part of a grueling stretch of nine games in 19 days to end their inaugural season in Las Vegas.
Aces enter All-Star break with 88-74 win over Indiana
Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service
By Shawn McCullough
As far as the Las Vegas Aces are concerned, this may be a bad time for the All-Star break.
The Aces beat the Indiana Fever 88-74 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Sunday night and have now won six of their last seven.
Four players scored in double digit including A’ja Wilson, who scored 24 points and Kayla McBride, who added 16.
“It was a good team win,” said Wilson. “For us to just come out and get a win, it’s something special. Our bench production was great today, everyone came and there was no drop off and that’s what you need around this time.”
Center Carolyn Swords came off the bench and contributed with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“I think that’s always been kind of my mentality and just focusing on one thing at a time, one possession at a time,” said Swords. “Whether it’s a rebound coming my way or knowing that the player that I’m guarding is a good rebounder gives me something to focus on and just try to stay present with that.”
With the team’s recent success, the Aces are aware that it is critical to handle the All-Star break appropriately.
“The All-Star Break is usually a pretty dangerous turning point,” said Swords. “Sometimes people can overlook the game right before or right after. Some teams will come back right after the All-Star Break and really take off. We want to make sure that we keep our momentum, stay focused, take care of ourselves while we have a couple of days and then make sure that we really hit the ground running when we come back.”
A’Ja Wilson and Kayla McBride were voted to the WNBA All-Star game which will be played on Saturday in Minneapolis.
“It feels good, it’s a blessing,” said Wilson about being voted to the All-Star game in her first season.
“I’m excited to be able to represent Vegas,” said McBride. “The fan base has been so amazing, so to be able to go and represent them the first year with A’ja is really special to me.”
With the win, the Aces improved to 12-13 on the season and trail the Connecticut Sun by one game for the 8th spot in the WNBA standings, as the top eight teams in the league make the playoffs.
The Aces will next play the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, August 1st at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 3 Kelsey Bone
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
Photo Gallery: Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever
Aces making playoff push with 85-82 win over Mercury in Phoenix
A once young team is now starting to find its stride with confidence and determination.
The Aces got 27 points from All-Star guard Kayla McBride in an 85-82 road win over the Phoenix Mercury. Las Vegas has now won five of their last six games.
A’ja Wilson put up a double-double, scoring 18 points with 12 rebounds.
Down 34-33 in the second quarter, the Aces rolled off 13 straight points and never trailed after that.
The Mercury were led by guard Diana Taurasi, who scored 33 points, while center Brittney Griner scored 19 and pulled down 10 rebounds.
With the win, the Aces improved to 11-13 on the season and moved to within 1.5 games of the 8th place Connecticut Sun.
The Aces will next return home to face the 2-21 Indiana Fever on Sunday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Notes:
- A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (18) for the 24th straight game.
- The Aces have now won five of their last six games.
- 8,587 fans attended the game at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
- Rookie A’ja Wilson and Kayla McBride were both named to the WNBA All-Star Game and will play on Team Delle Donne (both were drafted by All-Star captain Elena Delle Donne)
- Today is Carolyn Swords’ birthday. She started and played a little over 17 minutes, scoring four points with two rebounds.
Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
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