Tag: Las Vegas Aces

Aces Fall To Surging Mystics 94-83; Win was third straight for Washington

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Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron (22) takes a shot over the Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) in first half WNBA action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Thu Jun 26, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez
LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (7-8) lost to the Washington Mystics (8-8) 94-83. The Aces Jackie Young had 13 points in the opening quarter but did not score again in the game. A’Ja Wilson had the game high with 22 points.

On the other hand the Mystics had the hot hand from outside hitting ten shots from beyond the arc. They were unstoppable. Las Vegas went on a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter but they had dug such a deep hole in the third quarter trailing by 22 points. They have now fallen below .500 again at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Thursday night.

The Mystics took as much as an eight point lead in the first quarter but the Aces battled back tying the game at 22 with under two minutes left in the first ten minutes of play. As the first quarter came to an end the Mystics had a 29-25 lead. The Aces Jackie Young had a terrific start scoring 13 points. She definitely had the hot hand in the opening quarter.

The second quarter saw Washington again take as much as a nine point lead. With five minutes left in the half the Aces cut the Washington lead more than in half trailing 32-36. The Mystics Sika Kone pushed out the Washington lead hitting a three with 4:27 left in the quarter. Every time the Aces challenged, the Mystics answered and at the half Washington had their largest lead of the game 53-44.

The Mystics Sonia Citron had the first half team high with 12 points. She was the only Mystic in double digits. The Aces A’Ja Wilson had 14 points and Young had 13 at the half. Las Vegas would have to contain the Mystic offense in the second half. They already had hit six shots from downtown and the Aces would be looking to shut that down.

The Mystics continued to push their lead out leading 59-44 two minutes into the third quarter. The Aces shooting percentage continued to dip and turnovers continued to hamper Las Vegas. The Aces had conceded 17 points on eight turnovers. With 7:33 left in the quarter Head Coach Becky Hammon called a time out before this game got completely out of hand.

Washington had built a 62-46 lead at 6:47. The Mystics were on fire from beyond the arc hitting 8 already in 2 1/2 quarters. The Mystics success from beyond the arc was the tipping point in this game. With two minutes left in the quarter Washington had built a 22-point lead 79-57. Going into the fourth quarter Washington had a 79-61 lead.

As the final quarter got underway Las Vegas was not finished going on a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter. The Aces got as close as seven points but they could not overcome the outside shooting that the Mystics brought in this game. The Aces had dug too deep of a hole in the third quarter. In an 11 point loss for the Aces and the win in favor of Washington.

This coming Sunday the Aces will head out on the road for another very tough matchup with the third place Phoenix Mercury. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 3:00 PM and can be viewed on NBA TV.

Aces Crush Connecticut For Second Win In a Row 85-59; Wilson reaches 5000th career point plateau

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The Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) celebrates scoring her 5000th career point against the Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles (left) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Wed June 25, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–Wednesday night the Las Vegas Aces (7-7) won their second game in a row beating the struggling Connecticut Suns (2-13) 85-59 . A’Ja Wilson reached yet another milestone reaching 5000 career points in the second quarter.

Game recap: Wilson finished with 22 points and Jackie Young chipped in another 20 points. Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd both had double digits. The Aces hit 11 three’s and completely dominated in the second half of play. Despite having 15 turnovers in the game they breezed through this one.

Las Vegas got the perfect start going on a 19-0 run. The first basket the Sun scored was at less than two minutes left in the first quarter. Connecticut went on a 6-0 run to end the first ten minutes of play. The Aces won the opening quarter 21-6.

The Sun had a much improved second quarter outscoring the Aces 23-19 in quite a turnaround. At the half Las Vegas had a 40-29 lead. Connecticut was struggling from beyond the arc not able to hit one in the half. In the second quarter Wilson hit her 5000th career point. There is not a whole lot that Wilson cannot do, she is the epitome of skill and professionalism.

In the third quarter, the Aces had the upper hand in this game controlling the flow of the game. Each team had 9 turnovers but the Aces dominated in the field, beyond the arc, and defensively with 35 rebounds to the Suns 21. After three quarters the Aces had taken their largest lead of the game 68-46 crushing Connecticut.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Sun were looking at a close to impossible task; catching up with Las Vegas. The Aces continued to extend their lead taking a 24-point lead 70-46 in the opening minutes of the final quarter.

Las Vegas had hit 11 shots from downtown while the Sun only had two. Despite the significant lead, the Aces had a frustrating start to the fourth quarter with turnovers and missed shots. They did maintain at least a 20 point lead throughout the quarter and with under four minutes left in the game had a 77-55 lead.

The Las Vegas bench would finish off this game with Kierstan Bell hitting eight points. The final was 85-59 in a really lop-sided game. The Aces had won their second win in a row in a complete rout.

Game notes: After fighting their through the Indiana Fever Sunday, the Aces handled the Sun without much trouble at Michelob ULTRA Arena Wednesday night. The Aces beat the Fever in the fourth quarter of the game after trailing for much of it in the first half. A’Ja Wilson was back in form scoring 24 points in that game; the win breaking a 3-game skid.

Wednesday night they started a winning streak against the Sun picking up their second win in a row. Connecticut had been struggling but Las Vegas took nothing for granted and put out their best effort giving the home crowd another win. The win Wednesday night will put them at .500.

The Aces will not have much time to celebrate this win taking the court Thursday night against the Washington Mystics looking for their third win in a row. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM at Michelob ULTRA .

Aces Put An End To Losing Streak Beating Indiana Fever 89-81

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Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) celebrates a successful play during WNBA game against Indiana Fever on Sunday June 22 2025 in Las Vegas. Kalin Sipes – The Sporting Tribune

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces put an end to their three-game losing streak beating the Indiana Fever 89-81 Sunday. They trailed for three quarters but powered through the fourth quarter. After being shut down in the first half, A’Ja Wilson scored 20 points in the second half and finishing with 24 points. It was an amazing comeback as the Aces begin to chip away at the standings now tied for seventh place. This was the Aces 16th straight win over the Fever.

Game recap: The Aces got an early 6-2 lead but the Fever responded taking as much as a five point lead. The two teams fought hard for the rest of the quarter and after the first ten minutes of play, the Fever had a one-point lead 21-20 in a hotly contested game.

Chelsea Gray hit a buzzer beater for two points to end the quarter. The Fever’s Aliyah Boston had already shot for ten points and the Aces would need to contain her going into the second quarter. A’Ja Wilson had a slow start only hitting a single basket but had three rebounds. The Fever were doing a great job shutting her down. Gray had the high for Las Vegas with five points.

In the early minutes of the second quarter the Fever extended their lead to 26-22. The Aces answered with a Dana Evans shot from downtown to tie up the game 28-28 at 6:19. Caitlin Clark had scored only two points but she had eight assists connecting with Aliyah Boston numerous times.

The Fever were making life pretty miserable for A’Ja Wilson keeping her pretty locked down. Indiana went on a run extending their lead to 37-28 prompting Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon to call a timeout before the game got out of hand.

A’Ja Wilson finally got her second basket of the game but Clark came right back shooting over the defense for her first three of the game and the Fever had taken a 40-30 lead. The Aces were struggling from the floor shooting for only 36% while the Fever were hot shooting at 54%.

Las Vegas continued to struggle on the floor trailing at the half 36-42. They would have a lot of work to do in the second half. They needed to find a way to disrupt the Clark-Boston connection which was a huge part of the Fever’s lead.

The Fever’s Aliyah Boston had the game high at the half with 18 points. The Aces struggles on the floor resulted in not a single player in double digits at halftime. The Fever had held Wilson to 1-12 field goals.

The last time the Fever had beaten the Aces was back in 2019. If the first half was any indication, Las Vegas was going to have to step up big time in the second half. It was not a huge point deficit by any means but they had to find a way to shut down Boston and start hitting those floor shots that they had been missing in the first half.

The Aces continued to trail in the third quarter, struggling from the floor, missing open shots while the Fever’s Aliyah Boston continued to dominate. With 4:09 left in the quarter Boston had hit 22 points.

The Aces continued to trail by six points throughout most of the third quarter. With 2.22 left on the clock, the Aces pulled to within four points but the Fever countered with a two point play and going into the fourth quarter the Fever were holding onto a 61-58 lead.

The final quarter got underway with the Aces pulling to within a single point 60-61. Las Vegas took the lead 63-61 for the first time since the first quarter when Aaliyah Nye hit a three. Nye had 11 points off the bench and Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young had all reached double digits.

With 7:58 left in the game the Aces were clinging to a 65-63 lead and desperately needing stops. Las Vegas got a couple of stops and made good on them pushing their lead out to 69-63 going on a 15-2 run with 6:16 left on the clock.

The Fever gobbled up the Las Vegas lead and with five minutes left in the game it was all tied up at 69. A crucial coaches challenge was won by the Aces and with under two minutes left in the game Las Vegas had a 83-75 lead.

A’Ja Wilson had hit 16 points in the second half making good on her claim at the half that she would “just keep on shooting.” With under a minute Las Vegas had established an 84-79 lead and this game was going down to the wire.

A second challenge in as many minutes was also won by the Aces and Jackie Young hit a couple of free throws giving Las Vegas an 86-81 lead with 40 ticks left on the clock. The final was 89-81.

If a team can stay close and close out the fourth quarter chances are pretty good that they will come away with a win and is exactly what Las Vegas pulled off. They had put a stop to their losing streak, and now had 6-7 season record.

Indiana’s Aliyah Boston had the game high with 26 points and 10 rebounds along with a great showing by Kelsey Mitchell with 20 and Clark finishing with 19 points and 11 assists.

The Aces really bounced back in this game finishing off the Fever in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. After a rough start, A’Ja Wilson finished with 24 points and seven rebounds. Jackie Young had 19 points and also had seven rebounds. Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd had a great finish; Gray with 18 points and Loyd with ten. Aaliyah Nye had 11 points off the bench.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Aces played another home game at Michelob ULTRA Arena taking on the Fever. The Aces came into the game after a loss to the Seattle Storm 90-83 after leading by ten points in the third quarter last Friday. That game was A’Ja Wilson’s first appearance on the court after being out on concussion protocol.

Wilson came back into this game sharp after her first game back last Friday night. Las Vegas faced Caitlan Clark but also the Clark- Aliyah Boston combination a dangerous duo. The Arena was packed with over 18,500 fans on hand for the game with the Ace ending their three game losing streak.

Las Vegas will back on the court at Michelob ULTRA Arena welcoming the Connecticut Sun next Wednesday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM and fans can tune in for all the action on NBA TV.

A’Ja Wilson Returns But Aces Fall Short Losing To the Storm 90-83

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Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) grabs a rebound against the Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) in the second half of WNBA action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Jun 20, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (5-7) welcomed A’Ja Wilson back on the court in a matchup with the Seattle Storm (8-5). The Aces dropped their third straight game this time to the Storm 90-83 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The Aces came up just short in a real battle. Two missed free throws to end the game sealed the win for the Storm.

Wilson finished with a double double shooting 20 points with 14 rebounds. Jackie Young had a solid game with four rebounds and 22 points. It was just not enough to get past the surging Storm.

Game recap: As the players took the floor rousing applause arose when Wilson took the court. She was back just when the team really needed her. Her return could change the course of the rest of the season.

The Storm came out strong taking as much as a ten-point in the opening quarter but by the end of the first ten minutes of play the Aces had pulled to within two points trailing 23-21. Las Vegas briefly took the lead in the second quarter but Seattle fought back leading for most of the game.

With 38 seconds left in the half, the Aces had taken a 39-36 lead. Las Vegas had a great run in the final 30 seconds of the half taking a 45-38 lead. The Aces had taken control of this game and would need more of the same in the second half.

The Aces picked up where they left off in the second quarter taking a ten point lead two minutes into the third quarter 52-42. Just having Wilson on the floor show-cased the ball control and the flow of the game was slick.

The Aces were hitting the three’s and with only seven turnovers so far in the game they looked like the new and improved Aces. With under three minutes left in the quarter this game got uncomfortably close, the Storm trailing by only three points 61-58.

The Las Vegas lead had evaporated. With 36 seconds left in the third quarter the Storm made a push taking back the lead 64-63. The Aces had some untimely turnovers that seemed to disrupt their rhythm. After three quarters the Storm had taken a one-point lead 67-66.

The fourth quarter was a see-saw affair with the two teams trading leads. As the clock began to wind down Las Vegas had just over three minutes left in the game to overcome the Storm’s 86-81 lead in this game.

Every possession going forward would be critical. The Storm continued to extend their lead and time was not on the Aces side trailing 88-81. This was a photo finish, Las Vegas fighting to the end but coming up just short losing.

Game notes: The Aces took on the Storm in a Friday night matchup at Michelob ULTRA Arena. This season finds the Aces having to contend with something that we never saw coming. So far this season they have a season record below five hundred while last year they finished with a 27-13 record finishing in fourth place in the Western Conference and losing in the Semi-final to the eventual winner, the New York Liberty.

The Aces beat the Storm in the first round of last year’s playoff to advance to the semi-finals. This year they have been really struggling and it has been compounded with the loss of A’Ja Wilson who has been out for two games after suffering a head injury back on June 11 playing against the Los Angeles Sparks missing the entire fourth quarter.

It has not gone well for the Aces since then although they did pull out a victory against the Dallas Wings on June 13th. Wilson’s return date was previously determined to be June 17 but she did not play. Wilson returned on Friday night scoring the second highest points with 20.

She has led the team in almost every statistical category. It has not been a great start to the 2025 season but the good news is that there are more than 30 games left on the schedule and there is plenty of time to turn things around.

The loss set the Aces back six games out of first place the Aces are now in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Aces have a lot of work to do and they could start with capitalizing on second chance points and more ball protection in their next game on Sunday. In their last three games they have averaged 18 turnovers per game and cleaning that up would make all the difference.

Las Vegas will now go back to the drawing board in preparation for their game this coming Sunday with the Indiana Fever. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for12:00 PM and can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+

Aces Fall To .500 Losing To Phoenix 76-70

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Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleagh Cooper (2) goes for the lay up against the Las Vegas Aces center Elizabeth Kitley (33) and Aaliyah Nye (13) during the first half at ULTRA Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Jun 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (5-5) lost a tough one falling to the Phoenix Mercury (8-4) 76-70 Sunday afternoon. The team has really struggled without their star A’Ja Wilson who is projected to return this coming Tuesday.

The team had 22 turnovers conceding 22 points on those turnovers. With poor ball protection winning seldom becomes reality. This has been a very disappointing start to the season so far. They missed open shots from start to finish. Chelsea Gray finished with the team high of 20 points.

Sunday afternoon, the Aces took on the Mercury at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The Aces had been struggling although did win their last matchup with the Dallas Wings Friday 88-84.

The Aces lost their ace A’Ja Wilson in a losing effort against the Los Angeles Sparks last Wednesday night when she suffered a head injury getting accidentally hit in the face by the Sparks Dearica Hamby while Hamby was driving to the basket.

Wilson missed Sunday’s game but has a return date for this Tuesday June 17 when the Aces take on the powerhouse Minnesota Lynx. It has not been the season we are used to seeing from Las Vegas. Their usual chemistry is just missing something and it is more than likely that the absence of Wilson has a whole lot to do with it.

After the first ten minutes of play this game was tied at 20. The Mercury took some fairly significant leads throughout the second quarter, as much as eight points, but the Aces continued to battle back. At the half, the Mercury were holding onto a 43-39 lead. Las Vegas was stubbornly hanging around, within striking distance for most of the quarter.

It started to fall apart in the third quarter when the Mercury took an 11 point lead with 3:22 left. Head Coach Becky Hammond called a time-out looking to get the Aces back on track. The Aces were having success from beyond the arc shooting 41% to the Mercury’s almost 35% but they needed more success driving the basket.

This had been a very physical game on both ends of the court for both teams. The Aces were just missing too many open shots. After three quarters the Mercury were up by six points 60-54.

Going into the fourth quarter the Aces needed stops and they really needed to settle down shutting down the turnovers, already with 14. Chelsea Gray had the team high with 18 points and both Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd had double digits through three quarters.

With 8:19 left in the game it was a two-point lead for the Mercury 60-58. Ball protection continued to falter as the Aces continued to turn the ball over now with 19. The Aces had conceded 22 points on turnovers.

Every time Las Vegas got close the Mercury pushed the lead back out. Las Vegas had not led since the first quarter. as the clock began to wind down with only 4:16 left on the clock. It came down to crunch time.

With 3:37 left in the game and the Mercury leading 71-67 the Aces had to play each possession with precision, each possession without turnover and start making those open shots. Time was not on the Aces side and with 21 turnovers it’s near to impossible to win a game.

The Las Vegas bench was not very productive with only 14 points to the Mercury’s 25 points off the bench. With under a minute left in the game Phoenix had a 76-70 lead and the Aces would fall to a 5-5 record in yet another disappointing loss.

Kim Stokes had a great defensive game finishing with 14 rebounds as well as Chelsea gray with 10 rebounds. It was without doubt the 22 turnovers that turned the tide in this game.

Now the Las Vegas Aces go back to the drawing board. They look forward to the return of Wilson as they go on the road to take on the red-hot Minnesota Lynx next Tuesday night. Wilson is projected to return for that game. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

A’Ja Wilson Leads Aces Past Sparks For Third Win This Season 96-81

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after a play against the Los Angeles Sparks in first half action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri May 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–It got a bit shaky in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter but the Las Vegas Aces (3-2) were able to beat the Los Angeles Sparks (2-5) 96-81 with some nice closing possessions.

Aces points leader A’Ja Wilson was brilliant with 35 points and 13 rebounds for her 103rd double double. Wilson continues to amaze. Jackie Young finished with 26 points and Chelsea Gray had 15 points and four rebounds. They improved their season record to 3-2 with this win.

Game recap: It was a bit of a slow start for both teams but started to really build steam as the quarter wore on. By the end of the first quarter, the Aces had taken a 28-21 lead. Las Vegas would build on that lead winning the second quarter 29-21 taking a 57-42 lead at the half.

The Aces after having outscored the Sparks in the first and second quarter continued on this path winning the third quarter 23-17 and leading 80-59 going into the fourth quarter. There was without doubt more energy in this game than the Aces have seen all season.

After three quarters Wilson had scored 25 points. She had her 103rd double double in this game with ten rebounds along with the 25 points and with still one more quarter left in the game. The defensive energy from Las Vegas in this game was really amped up, a prelude of good things to come for the Aces.

The Sparks got a jump on Las Vegas outscoring them 11-4 mid-way through the quarter but they had a lot of ground to make up and were fighting to make this game interesting. After letting a 20+ point lead shrink to a 14 point lead, the Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon called a time out after Los Angeles went on a 9-0 run.

The Sparks continued to shrink the Aces lead and with 3:50 left in the game the Aces were hanging onto a ten-point lead after leading by more than 20 points. Las Vegas had to tighten it up and they did exactly that pushing their lead back out to 14 points 90-76 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the game. When the game got a bit shaky for Las Vegas they hunkered down and took care of business winning their third game of the season 96-81.

The Sparks fought to make a move mid-way through the fourth quarter but fell short. Four of their starters scored in double digits. Kelsey Plum had the team high with 17 points. Dearica Hamby, Odyssey Sims and Azura Stevens all had double digits.

The Aces had a breakout game with Wilson finishing with 35 points and 13 rebounds. Young was also terrific with 26 points and Gray had 15 points and four rebounds.

Game notes: Friday night the Aces hosted the Sparks at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The temperature outside was sizzling with a high of 103 degrees but inside the arena the Aces were cool and primed to advance their season record.

The Aces has suffered a couple of loses to the defending champion Liberty and also to the Storm. They will be meeting the Storm this Sunday for a little payback. They will first be looking to get past the Sparks in Friday night’s game.

The Aces have not had the best start but the two losses were against last seasons champs and also a very solid Seattle Storm. They have gotten slow starts in seasons past and Friday night’s game is pivotal after a few weeks in the 2025 season. They came into this game after getting beaten pretty soundly by the Seattle Storm 102-82 last Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

The Aces will now hop on a plane for a re-match with the Seattle Storm. Both teams have identical 3-2 records. Las Vegas will be looking to bring the same kind of energy that won this game for them Friday night.

The Aces defensive effort was their best so far this year and they will be looking for a whole lot more Sunday afternoon. TIp-off for this game is scheduled for 12:00 PM at Climate Pledge Arena.

Aces Jewell Loyd Hits Three To Steal Game From Mystics 75-72

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) and the Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen (44) go after a rebound in first half WNBA action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri May 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (2-1) trailed for the entire game coming to life in the final minute of play to beat the Washington Mystics (2-2) 75-72. The Mystics refused to back down every time the Aces made a run continuing to hang onto the lead. Washington was all over A’Ja Wilson shutting her down.

She did have a double double with 12 rebounds and 15 points and Jewell Loyd had a disappointing six points but that disappointment disappeared when she hit a three with 2.1 left in the game giving the Aces their first lead since the first quarter. The Mystics got a great effort from Kiki Iriafin who finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort.

Game recap: After the first ten minutes of play, the Aces trailed by a basket 16-18. The Mystics got a fast start that they carried into the second quarter of play leading at the half 42-33. Washington outscored the Aces in the quarter 24-17.

Las Vegas would need more from their starters in the second half. Jewell Loyd had a quiet first half as did A’Ja Wilson. After the first two quarters of basketball the only player that scored double digits was the Mystics Kiki Iriafen.

Iriafen also had seven rebounds. The Aces were beaten from beyond the arc, 46% to 31% as well as from the field 42% to 31%. It was a slow start in the first half from Las Vegas.

The third quarter turned into a very physical game as the Aces made a push. They had trailed by 11 points but began to turn it all around at 6:38. Neither team had scored a basket in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the quarter.

At 5:43 the Aces had pulled to within six points 44-38. The Mystics pushed back extending their lead to 49-38. Las Vegas was committing some uncharacteristic turnovers and it was really hurting them.

A’Ja Wilson and Jewell Loyd were both struggling and the team was missing far too many layups. The Mystics continued to extend their lead and at 3:36 had built a 12-point lead 54-42. Washington was all over A’Ja Wilson at times with two to three guards covering her.

They were having a lot of success shutting her down. Jewell Loyd continued to struggle with only four points. With 1:07 left in the quarter the Aces had pulled to within six points only to watch Washington hit a three pushing their lead back out to nine points, 59-50. After three quarters the Mystics led 59-50.

Las Vegas had one quarter left to turn this game around. The Mystics had built momentum that all began in the second quarter and they continued to feed off of it in the third quarter. The Aces had to dictate the pace of play and they had one quarter to do it.

Las Vegas pulled to within six points 59-53 when Jackie Young hit three shots from the line but every time the Aces got close, the Mystics shut it down. Las Vegas had not led in this game since the opening quarter in a really frustrating game for them.

With 2:01 left in the game, the Aces had pulled to within two points 68-66, the closest they had been since the first quarter. A glimmer of hope for Las Vegas which was shut down by a shot from downtown from the Mystics Sonia Citron.

With 11.6 left on the clock this game was tied at 72. The Aces took a time-out with 7.1 left in the game and the score tied at 72. Despite a disappointing game, Jewell Loyd hit the shot that made all the difference in this game and the disappointment was replaced by pure joy. With 2.1 left on the clock she hit a three that gave Las Vegas a 75-72 win in one wild game.

Game notes: Friday night the Aces took on a young Mystics team at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The one game that Las Vegas had lost this season was at the hands of the defending champion New York Liberty. A’Ja Wilson had a monster game with 31 points in the loss but came right back shooting for 20 points in their second game of the season beating the Connecticut Sun 87-62.

Jewell Loyd also had a solid game against the Sun with 20 points. The Aces got more tonight although it was close it was a win for Las Vegas. Wednesday night, the Mystics lost a close one to the Golden State Valkyries 76-74 in a real battle. Despite playing this game at home, the Aces had a real battle on their hands and they needed all hands on deck for this one.

Next up for the Aces will be a road trip up to Seattle for a matchup with the Storm. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 3:00 PM this Sunday May 25th at Climate Pledge Arena.

Aces Light It Up Beating Mercury In Thriller 85-84

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Forward Kierstan Bell (1) and guard DeJa Kelly (2) and forward Queen Egbo (4) celebrate the Las Vegas Aces win over the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas (Las Vegas Aces X photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces are back and hungry for another title after losing in last year’s final. They have a great new addition to the team in Jewell Loyd. Tuesday night they won a thriller over the Phoenix Mercury 85-84 after beating the Dallas Wings last Friday night 112-78. Bench player Deja Kelly had the team high with 15 points in the Phoenix matchup

Tuesday night the Las Vegas Aces took on the Phoenix Mercury in a pre-season matchup. After a disappointing loss in the finals last year losing to the New York Liberty this team is primed an ready for another run, another title. This was the Liberty’s first WNBA title crushing the Aces hopes for a THREE-PEAT.

Las Vegas is back as it’s determined to dominate again in 2025. Head Coach Becky Hammon and her team are ready for another run that will hopefully result in another championship. The Aces pulled off a massive three-team deal that resulted in Kelsey Plum going to the Los Angeles Sparks and Jewell Loyd coming to Las Vegas. Loyd coming to the Aces makes them the team to beat. The talent on this team is unquestionable.

This game was a battle from the very start. The Aces led after the opening quarter by the score of 23-22. The Mercury fought right back outscoring the Aces 27-24 in the second quarter and taking a 47-46 lead at the half.

The third quarter was a dead even affair with both teams hitting 19 points and the Mercury hanging onto a 66-65 lead. This was a back and forth affair with both teams trading baskets going into the fourth quarter.

When the dust had settled the Aces had outscored the Mercury in the final quarter 20-18. This game was tied at 79 with 1:10 left in the game. With 23 ticks left on the clock the Aces were hanging onto a 83-82 lead.

The Mercury took back the lead 84-83 with 15 seconds left on the clock. After an Aces timeout, Las Vegas’ Deja Kelly hit an 18-foot jump shot for the 85-84 final. The Mercury’s Shyla Heal missed a three- point attempt in the final seconds and Phoenix came close but the Aces prevailed.

When you look at the stats it is very misleading. The Mercury shot 49% from the field, the Aces 41%. The Mercury were very good from beyond the arc shooting 41% to the Aces 29%. Phoenix also had 35 rebounds to the Aces 27. The turning point were the turnovers. The Aces only had 12 while the Mercury had 21. At one time in the game, the Mercury had a ten-point lead that the Aces extinguished. Points in the paint were almost dead even.

Four of the Aces starters finished the game in double digits. The ever dominant A’Ja Wilson scored 14 points and six rebounds. Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young also had double digits. The team high was scored by bench player Deja Kelly with 15 points.

Next up for the Aces will be on Saturday May 17 in a re-match with the New York Liberty. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 9:00 AM and can be seen on ABC/ESPN+/Disney+.

Aces Self Destruct In Fourth Quarter Losing Game Four to New York 76-62; Vegas knocked out in three of four games

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Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) knocks the ball out of the hand of New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (22) during game 4 of the WNBA Playoffs at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Sun Oct 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

There will be no three-peat for the Las Vegas Aces (1-3) in this year’s post-season. They fought hard through three quarters of basketball trailing by a single basket for much of the game but came unglued in the fourth quarter.

The New York Liberty (3-1) poured it on in the final quarter winning the game 76-62 a testament of why they are the best team in the WNBA. They were unstoppable in the fourth quarter. The bright spot for the Aces was the three time MVP A’ja Wilson who has done what no players has ever done in the WNBA.

There will be a new champion this season. It all starts at Barclay Center Thursday night with the Liberty taking on the winner of the Lynx/Sun matchup who played on Sunday.

Game recap: The start from Sabrina Ionescu will be monumental and she delivered in the opening quarter. With under three minutes left in the first quarter she had already scored 12 points.

This came as no surprise after her lackluster performance in game three. She is a huge part of this offense and you will rarely see a game where she fails to score at all through three quarters. She came out with a vengeance in the opening quarter finishing with the 12 points.

The Liberty began to take a measurable lead in the quarter leading by as much as eight points but the Aces came roaring back after New York went on a 10-0 run to start the quarter. After the first ten minutes of play the Liberty had a 23-19 lead. Despite the slow start, the Aces had made up for lost ground.

Mid-way through the second quarter, this game began to go sideways for the Aces. Las Vegas only had one turnover but they had begun to miss shots and the Liberty were driving the paint successfully making layups. New York took a 37-27 lead at 5:41.

Las Vegas had a fight on their hands and they were already over the limit with a half a quarter remaining until halftime. With under four minutes left in the half, the Aces were chipping away at New York’s lead in a crazy physical game trailing by two points 39-37 with a minute and a half left in the second quarter. At 1:08 left in the half the Aces trailed by a single point 39-38.

At the half New York had a 41-38 lead and Las Vegas had put the stops on Ionescu who did not score a single point in the second quarter. The Aces would need a lot more of that in the second half. This game would be won on defense.

The only Las Vegas player with double digits was Kelsey Plum with 12 and A’ja Wilson was on the cusp with nine points and five rebounds. The team would need a big second half from Jackie Young. Las Vegas only had two turnovers in the first half which was outstanding especially against a team with the defense that New York has. The heart and determination of this team led by A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray makes Las Vegas a very dangerous team; this game was absolutely still up for grabs.

The New York Liberty had both Breanna Stewart and Ionescu in double digits. Stewart with 15 points and Ionescu with 12. This game had been all New York however, the Aces only trailed by a basket.

A wild third quarter got underway and while the Aces were close they did trail most of the quarter 51-49 with under a minutes left on the clock. As the clock ran out Jackie Young hit a three giving the Aces their first lead of the second half but it was determined that the clock ran out prior to Young’s shot.

Las Vegas still trailed but it was by a single basket 53-51 going into the fourth quarter. The Las Vegas defense continued to contain Ionescu only allowing her three points in the third quarter. Plum did not score for Las Vegas either in the third.

New York began to extend their slim lead as the fourth quarter got underway taking a 57-51 lead. This was not the way Las Vegas wanted to start the final quarter of this game. The Liberty had out-rebounded the Aces almost 2 to 1.

New York had 39 rebounds and the Aces 21. There was still a lot of time left on the clock but Las Vegas needed to tighten up their defense and get their offense back on track. It just did not happen. Chelsea Gray had five fouls and Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich had four fouls apiece for the Liberty.

New York set the pace in the fourth quarter while the Aces were struggling offensively trailing 64-53, the Liberty’s largest lead of the game. An Aces time-out was called with 5:45 left in the game.

Jackie Young continued to struggle unable to hit any thing in the fourth quarter and the Aces were running out of time. The Las Vegas was 1 of 11 in the fourth quarter with four minutes left in the game. The Aces lost this game in the fourth quarter with the Liberty outscoring them 23-11 in a blow-out. The final was 76-62. There would be a new champion crowned this year.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Aces met the Liberty in game four of their series getting knocked out the 3-1. Las Vegas failed to play unblemished basketball and couldn’t keep their three peat hopes alive. The Aces will saw a more determined group in game four, and the Aces made mistakes against New York in game four.

The Aces needed to protect the ball the way they did in game three but the Liberty were able to take crucial shots and the Aces had trouble on defense. They needed the defense they had in game 3 and they didn’t get solid offense on Sunday. This was far more a difficult game to control than it was last Friday night although the first half of that game was close throughout. It sure was a battle. No team had come back after trailing 0-2 in a series.

Las Vegas had a miserable fourth quarter after playing so close in the first three quarters. Their offense fell apart and the Liberty took full advantage offensively and defensively. The Aces could not hit a thing in the fourth quarter and as the clock ran out their dreams of a three peat also ran out. Regardless, they had an amazing season after a very slow start and they have a lot to be proud of.

10-0 New York run

Aces Beat Liberty For First Time This Season 95-81; Vegas cuts New York’s lead to one; Aces can tie series Sunday

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Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) is fouled by the New York Liberty forward Nyara Sabally (8) in game 3 of the WNBA Playoffs at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

With grit and determination, the Las Vegas Aces (1-2) beat the New York Liberty (2-1) for the first time this year. This game was a win big or go home for Las Vegas trailing 0-2 and the Aces starters could not have picked a better time to turn things around.

Playing at home was a plus but it was the defense, the lack of turnovers and some brilliant offense that won this game. The first half was back and forth with 18 lead changes but the second half was a different story with the Aces totally dominating winning the game 95-81.

All four of the Vegas starters had double digits and A’ja Wilson had another double double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Aces were protecting the ball well Friday night with only six turnovers through three quarters.

Game recap: It was a wild first half of basketball with 18 lead changes the most in WNBA playoff history. The Aces led after the first ten minutes of play 26-23 in a close contest. Another back and forth quarter ensued with the both teams scoring 26 points in the second.

Las Vegas led at halftime 52-49 with the promise of two more crazy quarters before this game was all said and done. The Aces had contained Sabrina Ionescu who had not scored at all in the first half. The Liberty’s Jonquel Jones was in a bit of trouble with three fouls.

Mid-way through the third quarter, New York was forced to call a time-out when Las Vegas led 61-53. The Liberty missed 12 shots in a row in the quarter and Jones had her fourth foul. Las Vegas really got going in the quarter leading 66-53 with 2:51 left in the third quarter.

The Liberty were committing some uncharacteristic fouls and turnovers. The Aces had a 13-0 run going with 1:31 left in the quarter leading 73-53 and Las Vegas had taking control of the third.

They outscored the Liberty 21-6 in the quarter and New York had gone eight minutes without scoring. The Aces took a 73-55 lead into the fourth quarter. Ionescu had still not scored and with Jones in danger of fouling out, New York had a lot of work to do and it seemed unlikely that Las Vegas was slowing down in any way.

The Aces did not back off leading by 25 points at one point in the final quarter. The final was 95-81 Aces. With under three minutes left in the game the starters took the bench. Jackie Young had the team high with 24 points.

Kelsey Plum was on point with 20 points and A’ja Wilson finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds. The Las Vegas defense was lights out and kept the Liberty out of the paint. The Aces totally contained Sabrina Ionescu allowing only four points from the talented guard.

Game notes: Friday night, the Aces faced a win or go home situation as they beat the Liberty in game three and are now 1-2 with the win. It is a major long shot but if any team in the league is capable of not only winning Friday night but taking the series it is the Las Vegas Aces.

With unanimous MVP of the season A’Ja Wilson on board and a great supporting cast in Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young plus Tiffany Hayes off the bench who just won the WNBA 6th person of the year award this team will fight to the end.

It’s a lot of pressure and every one of these players brought their A game in this all-important daunting task. They got some solid defense and it all started with Jackie Young who is one of the strongest guards in the league.

Plum, Young and Gray are a great combo providing defense that were all clicking in game 3. The unfortunate truth is that all three were not clicking in games one and two. Of the three, Gray has struggled and has been strangely sloppy.

The Liberty have clogged the paint a favorite location of A’ja Wilson and the missed layups in games one and two had head coach Becky Hammon enraged on the sidelines. The bottom line is that Las Vegas met the Liberty five times this season and they lost all five games this was different on Friday they beat New York for the first time all season.

Sunday afternoon, the Aces will be looking for a win in game four and tying up this series. Sunday’s matchups gets underway at 2:30 ET. The Las Vegas Aces are not done yet.