Tag: Phoenix Mercury

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 Continue Winning Streak Beating Phoenix 83-61 For Their Ninth in a Row

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Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) takes a fade away shot against the Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Thu Aug 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (23-14) won their ninth game in a row beating the Phoenix Mercury (21-14) 83-61. The Aces dominated in all four quarters. The Mercury did get within eight points in the second quarter but that was as close as they got.

A’Ja Wilson had another solid game with a double double and Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Nalyssa Smith each chipped in 12 points. Dana Evans was terrific off the bench with 17 points.

Game recap: The Aces got a great start in Thursday night’s game leading after the first ten minutes of play 23-17. Las Vegas kept their foot on the pedal winning the second quarter 20-12 and leading at the half 43-29.

The Mercury did get a bit of a slow start but later in the second quarter they began to heat up from beyond the arc. At the half, the Mercury had hit five three’s. Phoenix got as close as 8 points but the Aces pushed it back out before the half.

As the third quarter got underway this game became more and more physical. The Mercury had really stepped up their game and the Aces had to retain their momentum and keep the pressure on Phoenix if they wanted to win this game.

A’Ja Wilson already had a double double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. With 51 ticks left on the clock the Mercury were doing their best to chip away at the Aces lead but continued to trail by double digits. After three quarters the Aces were leading 59-46 with one more quarter to go. The Mercury had won the third quarter 17-16 in a very sparse shooting quarter.

Las Vegas had turned up the intensity, keeping the Mercury off-balance and containing the three’s. The Aces had limited the Mercury’s shots from beyond the arc limiting their shooting to 23%. They had played a solid first half offensively and defensively continuing to dominate in the third quarter. The team was a quarter away from an unprecedented milestone.

The Aces showed no sign whatsoever of slowing down in the fourth quarter. With 7:33 left in the game Las Vegas led 68-50. Through 3 1/2 quarters the Aces had only committed 5 turnovers continuing to push the lead, and continuing to dominate.

They were running the Mercury off the three-point line and playing a complete game on both ends of the court tonight. There wasn’t much Las Vegas wasn’t doing. With three minutes left in the game the clock was no friend of Phoenix as they continued to trail 59-78. The Mercury just plain ran out of time and the Las Vegas Aces had won their ninth game in a row. The final was 83-61.

Las Vegas had dominated this games for four quarters, from start to finish and won their ninth game in a row. Wilson as usual led the charge and the entire team answered. Wilson finished the game with a double double with 13 rebounds and 19 points.

Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Nalyssa Smith each had 12 points. Dana Evans was terrific off the bench scoring 17 points. Tonight’s game had boosted the team near the top of the standings.

Alyssa Thomas had the high for the Mercury with 17 points and Satou Sabally chipped in 15 points. They were just not able to match the Aces shooting all night.

Game notes: The Aces are on a crazy ride right now and no matter what is thrown their way, they pull together and ride the challenge out and it has resulted in unparalleled success that has translated into an nine game winning streak with their win over the Mercury.

Thursday night they have their sights on a ninth win. The Mercury are a very good team with long ball threats but the Aces win hoisted the Aces in the standings. There was a lot at stake for both teams going into this game.

The Aces had the advantage of once again playing at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The Arena was another sellout and fans were loud and so very proud. After a rough start this season, the Aces are on an incredible journey right now.

It’s now off to Washington for a game with the Mystics on Saturday with tipoff scheduled for 12:00 PM. The Aces will be in search of win number ten.

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.

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 Dominate In Second Win In a Row Over Phoenix Mercury 97-79

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The Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) looks to take a shot against the Phoenix Mercury’s guard Natasha Cloud (0) at the Footprint Center in Phoenix (photo by the Las Vegas Aces)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (20-12) put this game on ice early in fact it was in the first quarter. They won that quarter 29-10 and went on to win the second quarter extending their lead 51-28 at the half.

A’Ja Wilson had another double double with an amazing 17 rebounds and 41 points. Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young both had double digits. The Phoenix Mercury (16-16) did come out on top in the third quarter 31-24 but it was far too little, far too late.

The Aces practically put this game on ice by the end of the first quarter leading 29-10. They extended their by the half leading 51-28. A’Ja Wilson was on a scorcher playing some extraordinary basketball that was just stunning.

The Mercury rallied in the third quarter winning it by the score of 31-24 but the first half sealed the win for the Aces. The fourth quarter was won by the Aces but by only a single point. The final was 97-79 Sunday afternoon in Phoenix.

This was a dominating win for Las Vegas. A’Ja Wilson finished with 17 rebounds and 41 points. This was the second time in the past three games that Wilson exceeded 40 points. Kelsey Plum had a nice game with 16 points and Jackie Young finished with 11 points, six rebounds and a career high 14 assists. Tiffany Hayes was terrific off the bench with 11 points and five rebounds.

Brittany Griner was the high score for the Mercury with 24 points. Sophie Cunningham made four of six from three point range finishing with 16 points.

The Mercury got a very slow start in this game and the Aces jumped over them in the first quarter. Phoenix missed their first six shots and committed three turnovers setting the pace for the game. After the first quarter came to an end with Las Vegas leading 29-10 the Aces would lead by double digits for the rest of the game.

Game recap: The Aces got back on the winning track last Friday night beating the Atlanta Dream 83-72. Sunday the Aces took on the Mercury and picked up their second win in a row and even more importantly are now fourth place and 3.5 games behind the third place Minnesota Lynx in standings where they are currently tied with the Seattle Storm who are in fifth place.

With the Ace’s win and Seattle’s loss to Connecticut Sun on Sunday the Aces take over fourth place knocking the Storm into fifth place. With the season rapidly heading towards the post-season every game is critical, every win is a must. It will be tough going getting ahead of the Lynx who currently hold first place in the Western Conference and third place overall.

The Aces are now in fourth place in the overall standings with the Storm losing to the Sun 93-86 and dropping into fifth place. With only eight games left in the regular season it is crunch time for every team. Next up for Las Vegas will be the Chicago Sky Tuesday that will be played in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. The Aces moved venues from Michelob ULTRA Arena to T Mobile due to the high demand for this upcoming game. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT.

Aces Break Losing Streak Beating Phoenix Mercury 103-99

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The Las Vegas Aces A’ja Wilson led the Aces in scoring with 32 points against the Phoenix Mercury on Thu Jun 13, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix (AP photo from Tue May 21, 2024)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (6-5) had a molasses slow start in this game but went on to win the second and the all-important fourth quarter winning their matchup with the Phoenix Mercury (6-7) 103-99. A’ja Wilson had another double double with 32 points and 15 rebounds. Jackie Young had a banner evening finishing with 34 points and 8 rebounds.

Game recap: Brittney Griner and the Mercury jumped all over the Aces in the opening quarter of play leading after the first 12 minutes 28-12. The Aces had gotten a very slow start but began to turn things around mid-way through the second quarter hitting 9 of 10 shots and pulling to within 6 points 44-38 with 4:07 left in the half.

The Las Vegas fighting spirit could be seen on the players faces as they continued to inch closer to a lead. The Aces had gone on a 11-2 run. Jackie Young was having a banner game hitting 4 of 6 from downtown with 18 points.

Las Vegas had really settled down in the second quarter. With under two minutes left in the first half this game was tied at 49. The 16 point Mercury lead had dissolved and the Aces clearly had taken over the momentum of this game. There had been a 20 point swing in this game with under a minute left before the half. Las Vegas led at halftime 54-51. The Aces won the second quarter 42-23 in a wild swing.

Jackie Young continued to feel her oats hitting her fifth shot from downtown and finishing with 21 points through two quarters. A’ja Wilson had 15 points and 5 rebounds in the first half. The Mercury’s Diana Taurasi led her team with 15 points in the half and Brittany Griner finished the first two quarters with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

After the first quarter, the Aces were shooting around 44 % to the Mercury’s 64 %. By the half the Aces had totally narrowed that gap; Las Vegas was shooting at 54.5 % with the Mercury at 55.6%. The slow start for the Aces had turned around and they needed to take the same energy into the second half.

The Aces continued their comeback into the third quarter, and Jackie Young continued her reign of terror. She had already scored 27 points and was 7 of 11 from downtown four minutes into the third. The Aces continued to hang onto the lead but the Mercury were going nowhere.

The Aces needed to keep their foot on the pedal as Phoenix was going stride for stride with Las Vegas. Jackie Young tied her career high with 28 points as the third quarter came to an end with Las Vegas hanging onto a 75-74 lead.

The final ten minutes of play would prove to be a dog fight. The Mercury continued to knock on the door but Las Vegas stubbornly hung onto a 92-87 lead with under four minutes left in the game. With under two minutes on the clock the Aces had a 95-91 game.

Leading by a couple of points the Mercury were making it a real challenge getting into the paint for Las Vegas. This game went down to the wire with the Aces leading 99-95 with under a minute left on the clock. The final was 103-99 in a wild matchup.

A’ja Wilson finished with 32 points and 15 rebounds another double double to add to her string. Jackie Young had an amazing game finishing with 34 points and 8 rebounds. By the half she had already shot for 21 points. She was unstoppable. The high for the Mercury was Brittney Griner with 25 points and 9 rebounds. Las Vegas won this game at the line draining 96 % of their free throws along with some impressive defense.

Game notes: The Aces were struggling. They are still missing Chelsea Gray, they had lost 3 games in a row and were losing their way at times on both ends of the ball especially defensively. Thursday night they ended the three game skid against the Mercury at Footprint Center. The Aces will were able to get back on the winning track and avoided getting manhandled like some teams did across the league. Las Vegas were able to strive to start fast and finish hot. With the likes of A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes off the bench it is difficult to understand why they even had this losing streak.

Saturday afternoon the Aces face a huge challenge as they take on their rival, the New York Liberty. The Liberty currently have an 11-2 record. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 12:00 PM and can be viewed on ABC TV.

Wilson scored 30 in season opening win over Phoenix

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Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) watches a shot with Phoenix forward Liz Dixon (20) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Sports Radio Service/Shawn McCullough)

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–The defending back-to-back WNBA world champions started the season with an 89-80 win over the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“It’s the first game of the season and it looked like it,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “We will take the win. It wasn’t pretty, but it shows us that we have room for improvement.”

The Aces were led by forward A’ja Wilson, who dropped 30 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.

“I just kind of took what the defense was giving me,” said Wilson. “My teammates fed me the ball and I was appreciative.”

Guard Jackie Young scored 23 points, while Kelsey Plum added 19.

“Today was our first game and tried to just shake off the nerves,” said Young. “We tried to be aggressive and execute our game plan.”

Las Vegas was without starting guard Chelsea Gray, who was out with a lower left leg injury.

“We don’t have our point guard right now,” said Wilson of Gray. “We are all trying to compensate for the organizer on the court who is gone.”

During pre-game, the Aces raised their second world championship banner and were presented with their championship rings.

“Ring night is always special,” said Young. “We were trying to have fun and enjoy the moment, but also remember that we have a game to play.”

The Aces will next play at home on Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot 40.8% from the field.
Las Vegas went just six for 29 from three-point range.
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady gave a pre-game speech in the Aces locker room.

Game Starters:

C – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 41 Kiah Stokes
F – 7 Alysha Clark
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
G – 0 Jackie Young

Aces Injury Report:

Chelsea Gray, Out, Lower Left Leg

Las Vegas Handles Phoenix 94-73

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Las Vegas Aces Kelsey Plum (10) and guard Sydney Colson (51) exchanges hand shakes as they battle the Phoenix Mercury at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Fri Sep 8, 2023 (@LVAces photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Vegas Las Aces (33-6) took on the Phoenix Mercury (9-30) and after a slow start crushed the Mercury 94-73. The Aces had led by as much as 30 points in the fourth quarter.

The Aces got a slow start which has plagued them throughout the season. After one quarter the game was tied 20-20. Las Vegas got things rolling in the second quarter squelching the Mercury 28-11, led at the half 48-31 and after playing a very close first quarter the Aces had this game well in hand.

The Mercury played a better third quarter but could not break the stranglehold Las Vegas had on this game and after three the Aces led 72-48. The Mercury won the fourth quarter 25-22. Phoenix did try to rally in the final quarter after trailing by thirty points but just did not have the fire power of Las Vegas only making a small dent in the Las Vegas lead.

A’Ja Wilson finished the game with another electric performance scoring 30 points with nine rebounds. Kelsey Plum had 18 points with Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray both scoring double digits. Both teams protected the ball well finishing with only ten turnovers apiece. The Aces shot at 54.3% from the field and the Mercury came in with 34.7% which was the difference in this game.

Aces post game notes: The WNBA 2023 season is rapidly winding down with two games left in the regular season. The Aces have dominated all season and now look forward to the playoffs. There was however, one team that took Las Vegas to task beating them in three out of four games in the month of August and that was the New York Liberty. The Liberty are nipping at the Aces heels with a 32-7 record, both teams vying for home court advantage.

The Aces will play their last game of the regular season on Sunday taking on the Mercury in front of their home crowd at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tipoff in that final game is scheduled for 12:00 PM.