Wilson shines but Aces drop second straight to open WNBA season

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Published Tuesday, May 22, 2018 | 6:06 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, May 22, 2018 | 7 p.m.

When the Las Vegas Aces made A’ja Wilson the No. 1 overall pick in last month’s WNBA Draft (and the first pick in franchise history), the hope was that the 6-foot-4 star from South Carolina would someday be able to match up against the league’s elite, such as Washington Mystics center Elena Delle Donne.

That day isn’t here yet — Delle Donne out-dueled Wilson and the Aces on Tuesday, leading Washington to a 75-70 win — but it’s coming soon.

Wilson scored a team-high 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds, looking every bit like a future superstar as she made big shots down the stretch in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. Delle Donne was just a bit better, as she scored a game-high 23 points, including two plays in the final minutes that swung the contest.

Las Vegas trailed 67-65 with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter when Wilson pulled up on the baseline for a potential tying jumper, but Delle Donne beat her off the ground and blocked the shot. On the ensuing possession, Delle Donne posted up Wilson, pump-faked her into the air and leaned by her for a short jumper to make it 69-65.

Wilson answered at the other end by grabbing an offensive rebound and laying it in through contact. She converted the and-1 free throw to cut Washington’s lead to 69-68 with 30 seconds to play, but the Mystics hit their free throws from there and Las Vegas would get no closer.

The Aces are now 0-2 on the season after dropping road games at Connecticut and Washington. They’ll return to Las Vegas for their home opener on Sunday against the Seattle Storm.

After the game, Wilson said matching up against Delle Donne, a former league MVP, was a milestone moment for her young professional career.

"Your idols become your rivals," Wilson said. "It's crazy. I remember going to see [Delle Donne] play in Atlanta when she was with Chicago and now I'm playing against her and I'm defending her. So it's something special. It's every girl's dream to be in the WNBA and play against your rival."

Wilson looked more settled than she did in Sunday's season opener at Connecticut, when she posted 14 points and 10 rebounds but made just 3-of-13 shots from the field. On Tuesday, she showed more patience on the offensive end and knocked down 6-of-16 shots while handing out three assists in 31 minutes.

Head coach Bill Laimbeer said there were still moments when Wilson appeared frustrated, but that coming up on the short end of a battle with Delle Donne could be good for her in the long run.

"She's learning," he said. "She hasn't yet realized how big and strong and fast the players are in this league, and also that the teams have set their defense for her. Especially when we don't have the shooters around [her]. So she's going to have to learn these things. She'll struggle from game to game in different aspects, but I'll keep talking to her about things you have to learn. You can't wait. You have to attack right away. You can't dribble into three people — they're too big. You have to turn and shoot right away, because that might be the best shot you're going to get. All the little things she'll learn over the course of time will make her a better player."

Las Vegas started strong, with back-to-back buckets by Wilson giving the Aces an 11-2 lead midway through the first quarter, and they ended the period with a 15-9 advantage. A few minutes later, reserve guard Raigyne Louis stripped Washington point guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough at midcourt and went the other way for a layup, drawing a foul in the process. Louis hit the free throw to give the Aces a 25-11 lead with seven minutes left in the first half.

Wilson slipped through the defense and scored inside to give Las Vegas its biggest lead, 29-13, with four minutes left in the second quarter. By the time halftime buzzer sounded, the Aces had built a surprising 31-23 cushion over a Washington team that advanced to the semifinals of last season's WNBA playoffs.

Nia Coffey and Tamera Young played well, combining for 27 points on 11-of-23 shooting, but Las Vegas was once again limited by a lack of 3-point shooting. The Aces made just 1-of-9 from long distance, while Washington went 8-of-31. Mystics guard Tianna Hawkins came off the bench and made 3-of-7 from 3-point range, all in the second half, and finished with 17 points to help lead the Washington comeback.

After coming up short against one of her former idols/current rivals, Wilson was hopeful that a friendly environment at the Mandalay Bay Events Center might help the Aces notch their first win on Sunday.

"I am so super-duper excited to get back to Las Vegas," Wilson said. "You have that home energy. Just coming off the exhibition game, the fans were there. So just to have that home court and finally be home and take it all in there and start our regular home season there. I'm excited to get back. I know my teammates are excited to get back. So let's hurry up and get back."

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.