Tag: Seattle Storm

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

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

By Rich Perez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aces Blowout Storm In Playoff Opener 102-77

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Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) congratulates guard Jewell Lloyd (24) after scoring a three pointer against the Seattle Storm in game 1 of the WNBA Playoffs at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (30-14) are on a roll. They finished the season winning 16 games in a row and brought that same energy into their first playoff game beating the Seattle Storm (23-21) 102-77.

The Aces were in charge of this game from start to finish. Seattle was helpless to slow them down trailing for the entire game. A’Ja Wilson had the game high with 29 points and seven rebounds. Jackie Young had 18 points and six rebounds.

The Storm will be more than thrilled to get back home to their fans and try to put this game behind them. Game Two promises to be a whole lot more of a challenge for Las Vegas but all bets are on the Aces to close out this round one series.

The Aces finished off the 2025 season winning 16 games in a row and they have procured the second seed in the WNBA playoffs. After a less than stellar start this season the Aces fought hard against the adversity they were facing.

They believed in their coach Becky Hammon, they believed in each other and they believed in themselves. Sunday night they took on the Storm in the first round of the WNBA playoffs at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

The only Ace out with injury is Kierstan Bell and earlier she was a game time decision but as the Aces got closer to tipoff it does now appear that she will be available to play.

The Aces picked up right where they left off when their season ended last Thursday night in Los Angeles beating the Sparks 103-75. The Aces went into game one of their first round matchup with the Storm. It has been a crazy ride and it is not even close to being over if these ladies have anything to say about it.

The Aces got right after it from the get-go. They quickly took the lead and mid-way through the fourth quarter had established a ten-point lead 17-7. The Aces were shooting lights out but their defense was even stronger than their offense blocking and forcing turnovers.

After the first ten minutes of play Las Vegas had taken a 22-12 lead. Seattle already had six turnovers conceding six points off those turnovers. The Aces were shooting at 60% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.

The Storm were struggling shooting at 27% from the field and only 20% from long. Wilson was closing in on double digits with eight points going into the second quarter. Las Vegas led 22-12 to end the opening quarter.

The Storm settled down a bit in the second ten minutes of play cutting the Aces lead in half, trailing 22-17. The Aces pushed their lead back out to 29-17 with six minutes left in the half.. As the clock ran out on the first half, Young hit a three giving Las Vegas a 45-25 lead. The Aces had outscored Seattle 23-13 in the second quarter and would be looking to keep their foot on the pedal in the third quarter.

Wilson was the only player on the floor in double digits at halftime with 16 points. The Storm have the difficult task of trying to contain Wilson. In the first half Seattle couldn’t come up with any answers as to how to put the stops on Wilson.

The Storm had their work cut out for them in the second half. In the first half the Aces had completely dictated play and it would be up to the Storm to try and disrupt the Las Vegas flow.

Las Vegas continued to extend their lead and when the third quarter had come to an end they had taken a 76-52 lead outscoring the Storm 31-27 in the quarter. Wilson had the high score in the game through three quarters with 25 points, Young had 18 points, eight rebounds and off the bench Jewell Loyd had ten points.

Through three quarters, the Aces had hit 10 shots from beyond the arc. Las Vegas was one quarter away from winning their first playoff game in this best of three.

With 8:03 left in the game the Aces were flirting with a 30 point lead 83-54. The frustrated Storm were unable to slow down the diesel fueled onslaught from Las Vegas. The Aces had certainly given the sold-out crowd a whole lot to cheer about for the entire game.

At the four minute mark Wilson exited the court for the evening finishing with 29 points and 7 rebounds. She had been absolutely perfect. The Aces finished off the Storm 102-77. Las Vegas came away with 14 shots from beyond the arc shooting at nearly 50%. They had also shot at 50.7 from the field.

This game was a perfect blend of passing perfection, offensive excellence, exceptional defensive blocking and forcing turnovers, pretty decent ball protection and dictating the flow of the game from start to finish. Oh and by the way, winning their 17th game in a row.

The Aces will now travel to Seattle meeting the Storm for the second game in this series. Las Vegas will be looking for a win in game two and taking the series giving them a little more down time to rest and recuperate. Tipoff for game two is scheduled for Tuesday evening with tipoff at 6:30 PM.

Aces Squeak Past Storm For Third Win In a Row 90-86

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) goes for a lay up against the Seattle Storm’s forward Ezi Magbegor (13) in first half WNBA action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Aug 8, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (17-14) won their third game in a row beating a tough Seattle Storm (16-15) team and moving into a tie with the Indiana Fever for fifth place in the standings at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

At one time in the third quarter, the Aces had a 19 point lead that the Storm slashed tying up the game in the fourth quarter. There had been a huge swing in the game but the Aces fought back and came out with the 90-86 win handing the Storm their fourth loss in a row.

Game recap: The Aces got a nice start to open this game. After the first ten minutes of play Las Vegas had a 23-17 lead and A’Ja Wilson already had nine points. The Arena was really fired up at full capacity. The Aces have an amazing fan base and they are playing a lot of games at home in August which is a great way to finish off the regular season.

Mid-way through the second quarter Wilson had already hit 11 points. They needed to continue to control the points in the paint and so far in this game they were 14-4 in the paint.

The Aces continued to extend their lead and at the half they had continued to dominant and led 47-36 their largest lead of the game. The Aces had out-rebounded the Storm and outscored them in the second quarter 24-19.

Wilson finished the first half with 18 points and 5 rebounds. Chelsea Gray had scored ten points in the half and Nalyssa Smith was having a solid game with six points and seven rebounds. None of the Storm had scored double digits.

Las Vegas had a great start to the third quarter taking as much as a 19 point lead but as the quarter wore on there was a real shift in the game. The Storm systematically chipped away at the Las Vegas lead and when the quarter came to an end that 19 point Las Vegas lead had been cut to a 71-63 lead.

The Storm roared to life in the fourth quarter tying up the game at 75 with just over five minutes left in the game. It was a new ball game. The Aces fought back and began to push their lead back out and with 4:37 left in the game had taken an 80-75 lead.

Las Vegas had to tighten up and they were having some untimely turnovers which really hurt. The Aces were getting possessions but not cashing in on them. This game was going down to the wire. Since the tie the Aces had gone on a 7-1 run.

With only three minutes left in the game the Storm had no choice but to turn their defense up and risk fouling. Seattle had a couple of fouls at the end that turned into four Las Vegas points. With under two minutes left in the game the Aces were clinging to an 86-81 lead.

It was crunch time and Young answered the call hitting a three with 51 seconds left on the clock. The Storm answered back and with 23 seconds left in the game Las Vegas was leading 90-86.

Wilson was playing with five personal fouls in one crazy game. With 5.4 on the clock Seattle’s Brittney Sykes missed an attempted three and that was the ball game. Las Vegas had pulled this game out winning 90-86.

The was a terrific win for the Aces with five players in double digits. The high was Wilson with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Young finished with 26 points and five rebounds. Chelsea Gray chipped in 13 points and Nalyssa Smith with ten. It was another good game for Jewell Loyd off the bench hitting ten points. The Aces are now tied with the Indiana Fever in fifth place.

Game notes: Friday night the Aces battled the Storm in Las Vegas and moved into sole position of fifth place. This was a huge game for the Aces. The finish line for the 2025 season looms in the distance for the Aces.

Wilson was celebrating her 29th birthday and Wilson got a birthday gift for a win Friday night after beating the Storm. The Aces got a win against the Valkyries for a second time in a row last Wednesday 78-72 in San Francisco. Seattle has been struggling losing their last four games.

The Aces will be back in action this Sunday in Las Vegas taking on the Connecticut Sun and looking for their fourth win in a row. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Valkyries defeat Storm 84-57, Extend Sellout Streak to 10

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Veronica Burton of the Golden State Valkyries emotes after a call in the second half against the Seattle Storm at the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Golden State Valkyries are now (9-7) after a lights-out performance from the team in their matchup against the Seattle Storm making them (10-7) in their second matchup of the season. 

The Golden State Valkyries led the Seattle Storm 23–14 at the start after playing with intensity and consistency in the first quarter. In her pregame mentions, head coach Natalie Nakase highlighted the importance of execution and intensity, and her players delivered on both fronts.

On both ends of the court, Golden State’s effort was clear. They were able to get into a rhythm offensively because of their early 3-point shooting, going 3-of-7 from outside the arc. The Valkyries scored 12 points in the paint by dominating Seattle with smart off-ball movement and strong cuts to the rim, so it wasn’t simply perimeter play. It was challenging to control the attack because of their ability to combine aggressive inside plays with outside shooting.

Tiffany Hayes, one of the skilled guards, took the lead and confidently attacked the hoop. She contributed to the Valkyries’ early momentum with five points in the quarter, going one of three from the field and one of two from three-point range.

On the other hand, Seattle relied largely on Skylar Diggins, who kept up her hustling and leadership. She scored eight points on three of five shots, including a three-pointer, and had an assist and a rebound. Despite the early disadvantage, her tireless efforts played a significant role in keeping the Storm within reach for a while.

Golden State had a cold moment from beyond the arc, but they were still ahead 34-27 at the half. In the second quarter, the Valkyries were unable to score from beyond the arc after making three three-pointers in the first. Nevertheless, Tiffany Hayes finished the half with 11 points, continuing to lead the attack with aggressive play. Golden State also made the most of their transition, scoring 10 points on 4 of 5 shots.

With experienced guard Erica Wheeler making two three-pointers to help change the pace, Seattle started to create a small rhythm behind the arc. With seven turnovers each at the end of the half, both teams had trouble controlling the ball.

Golden State came out and dominated the game after halftime, scoring 31 points in the third quarter and coming out on an attack. The Valkyries increased their energy on both ends and demonstrated their dominance by extending their lead to 65–44 at the end of the quarter, a 21-point advantage. Turning and going defense to offense as the whole team thrives on the energy from the crowd in Ballhalla. 

A well-rounded team effort, especially from Veronica Burton and Tiffany Hayes, drove the charge. With 15 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds, Burton continued her consistent two-way presence. Hayes scored 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 2 of 5 from three, after exploding in the third. The intensity and performance of the rest of the Valkyries were greatly enhanced by both players.

The Golden State team thrived by spacing the floor and distributing the ball effectively. With 34 points now gained from their selfless ball movement, their shooting rhythm came alive to start the second half. The Valkyries dominated the third quarter, making it a statement drive.

In this match, Golden State led the Seattle Storm 84-57 from start to finish, never falling behind. The Valkyries established the tone right away and didn’t let up thanks to their constant speeding transitions, strong defense, and skilled play on both ends of the court.

As the team’s top scorer, Tiffany Hayes scored 21 points on an effective 8-of-13 shooting effort, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. She started the attack early and maintained the intensity all through. Burton and Laeticia Amihere, who each scored 15 points, were just behind her. Amihere added a strong presence in the paint that Seattle found hard to handle, and she also controlled the glass with a team-high eight rebounds.

The Valkyries’ tenth consecutive sellout, the longest in the team’s history, made the evening at Chase Center even more memorable. The home audience embraced the team’s enthusiasm and vice versa. Golden State’s victory gives them more momentum going into their upcoming game in Minnesota.

This Saturday at 5:00 p.m., Golden State will travel to Minnesota to play the Lynx, continuing their two-game winning streak.

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+

Golden State Valkyrie game wrap: Valkyries Weather the Storm, 76-70 inside Chase Center; Golden State wins third straight game

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Even the Golden State Valkyrie bench couldn’t contain themselves in their third straight win over the Seattle Storm at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat June 14, 2025 (Golden State Valkyrie X photo)

By Michael Roberson

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Golden State Valkyries (5-5) won their third consecutive game, while ending the Seattle Storm’s (6-5) 3-game streak, 76-70, on a pleasant evening in the City by the Bay.

Golden State has Chase Center in their favor, as they have had sellouts (18,064) in all four of their WNBA home games in their inaugural season.

Seattle actually made the arena an overcast setting, as they got off to a 4-0 start to the game. After that, the Valkyries came back, and both teams had five lead changes and one tie during the initial stanza.

Golden State led by six points, which was their advantage after the quarter ended, 21-15. Although Seattle led by four early, they would never be in front again during the contest.

In the second quarter, the home team expanded their lead to as high as 15. Veteran guard Skylar Diggins hit a three late in the quarter, cutting the deficit to seven, keeping them in the contest. However, the Valkyries went on an 8-0 run, putting them back up to 15. They would keep their margin in double-digits at recess, 44-31.

Midway through the W battle, both team a one player with double-figure scoring. Kayla Thornton had 11 points and 8 rebounds after 20 minutes of gametime. Skylar Diggins topped the Storm with 10 points.

In the second half, the Valkyries led by a whopping 22 points, but had to hold on at the end of the game. Thornton added six more points to her total, and had a double-double (17/10) after three quarters. Two others eclipsed 10+ points, Temi Fagbenle (14) and Carla Leite (12) and helped the cause. Ezi Magbegor chipped in ten points and Diggins 16, at the 3/4 mark of the game. Golden State led 64-50.

In the final portion of the event, Seattle stormed back, cutting the deficit as low as four, less than a minute in regulation time. Seattle committed an offensive foul while attempting to get within 2 on a basket, three on a shot beyond the arc, or a miraculous four-point play.

Neither scenario came to fruition, as an attempted pick and roll was called a foul on the screener. Thornton politely drained two free throws, sealing the highly contested battle, 76-70.

Thornton led the Valkyries with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Fagbenle chipped in 16 points and seven rebounds, and Leite added 14 points. Diggins led the Storm with 21 points, Alysha Clark posted 11 points and Magbegor offered ten points and six Rebounds. Stanford legend Nneka Ogwumike had a great reception by the Bay Area crowd, but had a subpar game with six points, five rebounds and saddled with four fouls.

The Valkyries will next be in action in Dallas, taking on the Wings Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 PM Central Time 5:00 PM Pacific. The Storm take their cloud down to Southern California, as they take on the Los Angeles Sparks on the same date, at 7:00 PM PT.

Golden State Valkyries podcast Michael Villanueva: Valkyrie Rises Locks In Against Storm; Golden State wins 3rd straight game

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Golden State Valkyries fans lights up Chase Center as the fourth quarter begins. With 18,064 people in the bay, this was the team’s fifth sell-out. (Michael Villanueva of Sports Radio Service is credited with the photo)

On the Golden States Valkyries game podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Given how both teams have changed since opening night, what were the most important lessons learned from the Valkyries’ performance against the Storm?

#2 Michael which Golden State player stood out the most in this match up, and is that player beginning to establish herself as a reliable leader for this new squad?

#3 Given Kayla’s double-double, how did the Valkyries’ tempo and control change as a result of her effective rebounding and scoring?

#4 How well did Golden State’s zone coverage strategy work to break Seattle’s rhythm for the majority of the game, and what does it tell about the Valkyries’ coaching changes?

#5 Following an excellent game tonight, the Valkyries will focus on Dallas when they play the Wings on Tuesday, June 17 at 5 p.m. PT. What impact do you think tonight’s momentum will have on that matchup?

Golden State Valkyries podcast are heard with WNBA analyst Michael Villanueva at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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.

A’Ja Wilson Comes Alive In Second Half As Aces Take Game One Against Seattle 78-67

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Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) drives on the Seattle Storm’s center Mercedes Russell (21) during WNBA Playoff game 2 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 22, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (0-1) had a stagnant start in the opening game of their series with the Seattle Storm (1-0). The Storm had at one time led by 11 points but the Aces surged in the second quarter and blew the game wide open in the fourth quarter going on 14-2 run.

A’Ja Wilson only had four points in the first half and finished with 21 points. Kelsey Plum had an off night with only two points, but there is little doubt that she will turn that around. Tiffany Hayes was terrific off the bench with 20 points. The Aces took game one of the WNBA Playoffs defeating the Seattle Storm 78-67.

Game recap: The opening quarter did not go well for the Aces. The Storm limited them to 11% shooting. They could not buy a bucket. Seattle outscored them in the first quarter 18-9. At one time in the second quarter the Storm had an 11 point lead before the Aces began to turn the narrative.

At the half, the Storm had a 42-38 lead but Las Vegas had made this game manageable. The Storm kept A’ja Wilson completely contained. She only had four points in the first half. The Storm were also getting a lot of second chance shots with their offensive rebounding. The Aces had their work cut out for them in the second half of this game.

With 2:58 left in the third quarter Las Vegas took a 58-57 lead. This game had been tied a lot in the second half. As the clock wore down on the third quarter, the Aces had really settled into the game and would be looking for a productive fourth quarter. A’Ja Wilson had scored 15 points in the third quarter. Kelsey Plum was struggling from downtown, a shot she usually excels at going 0-6. She only had a shocking two points.

This game was going down to the wire with some excellent defensive effort from both teams. The Storms’ Jewell Loyd was having a quiet game with only six points very unlike her. With just under five minutes left in the game, the Aces showed signs of building some increased momentum, building a lead 70-65.

With no need to panic, the Aces now had a 14-2 run demonstrating a lot of patience. With 1:30 left, Las Vegas had established a 78-67 lead which would be the final. The Aces now take a 1-0 series lead into game two.

After a slow start in the first half of this game scoring only four points, A’Ja Wilson scored 15 points in the second half of the game and she had eight rebounds really coming alive in the third quarter. Tiffany Hayes was solid with 20 points and fpur rebounds off the bench.

Chelsea Gray spearheaded the comeback effort in the first half finishing with 16 points and a couple of rebounds. Jackie Young chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds. Kelsey Plum was strangely quiet with only two points scored in the game.

The Aces really put the stops on Jewell Loyd holding her to six points. The Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith had the high score for Seattle with 16 points and four rebounds. The Storm had it all going in the first quarter but just could not sustain their lead against the defending champions.

Game notes: It all began Sunday night for the Aces as they took on the Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena as their quest for a three-peat got off to a good start in earnest. Three WNBA playoff games were played Sunday with the Liberty beating the Dream 83-69, the Sun really took it to the Fever 93-69 and the Lynx with a seven point win beat the Mercury 102-95.

The Aces are heavily favored but this is the playoffs and all bets are off, anything can happen. Las Vegas were challenged with the solid play of the Storm’s Jewell Loyd who scored six points in game one and Skylar Diggins-Smith led in scoring with 16 points. None of the Aces are listed on the injury list so they were at full strength and continue peaking the way they were as the regular season came to an end.

Tuesday night’s game two will again be played at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Now that the Aces have tested the waters in this year’s post-season there is little chance that they will come out in the next game the way they did Sunday night. Kelsey Plum will turn things around and A’Ja Wilson will overcome whatever the Storm throws at her. Tipoff for game two is scheduled for 6:30 PM.

A’Ja Wilson Hits 1000th Season Point-First In WNBA History In Win Over Sun 84-71

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A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces holds up the sign that says it all scoring her 1000th point against the Connecticut Sun at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 15, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (25-13) won their third game in a row beating the Connecticut Sun (27-11) 84-71. This was a win that A’Ja Wilson will never forget. This game will hold a very special memory for the rest of her life. She hit her 1000th season point Saturday, the first player to ever do it in a single season.

She has played her heart out all season through the ups the downs and they are cresting right now as they head closer to the playoffs. Wilson finished this historic game with 29 points and nine rebounds.

Game recap: The Connecticut Sun are holding down third place in the WNBA right now and going into this game, every team in the league is playing tough ball and the Sun will be a challenge.

There are no “gimmes” in women’s basketball right now. There are the teams that can only aspire to playing the spoiler and there are the team’s that are headed for the playoffs. The Aces and the Sun are both headed to the playoffs; the Sun in third place and the Aces in fourth with two games left on the regular season.

The Las Vegas Aces, who have won seven of their last eight games, took a 29-25 lead after the first ten minutes of play. They were leading at the half 48-40. Las Vegas had an amazing third quarter outscoring the Sun 23-11 taking a 20 point lead 71-51.

Connecticut played hard in the fourth quarter outscoring the Aces 20-13 making up some ground but it was not enough to overcome the lead that the Aces had built. Las Vegas won a tough game against the Connecticut Sun 84-71.

Fans enjoyed the game and seeing the team win but there was a special moment in the final two minutes of the game that sent the arena into a wild frenzy. At exactly 1:57 left in the game, Wilson made an 11-foot pullup shot assisted by Jackie Young for her 1,000th pt in a single season.

30 seconds after the shot the Aces called a timeout as her teammates mobbed her. She took the court acknowledging the loud ovation from the fans clapping her hands with tears in her eyes.

Right now the Aces hold a one-game lead over the Seattle Storm for the No. 4th seed in the playoffs as well as home-court advantage in that series.

Marina Mabrey led the Suns with 18 points and Brionna Jones added 17 points. For the Aces Kelsey Plum finished with 14 points. She hit a late much needed three to seal this win for Las Vegas. She came through in much the same way in their last game with the Fever.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon Michelob ULTRA Arena was bursting at the seams with fans not only anticipating another win but hoping to witness an unparalleled milestone. The sell-out crowd was there of course to root the Aces on but to also be in person for the 1000th point hit by the amazing Aces leader A’Ja Wilson.

She has thrilled fans for years now and this year could possibly be her best yet. With two games left in the season, Sunday’s game was the second to last regular season game played at Michelob. They will finish the season next Thursday taking on the Dallas Wings at home.

Tuesday night the Aces take on the Seattle Storm on the road and finish the season back home playing the Dallas Wings Thursday. Tipoff for Tuesday night’s game is scheduled for 7:00 PM and can be viewed on NBA TV.