Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) goes up for a basket against Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Published Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 | 9 p.m.
Updated Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 | 10:33 p.m.
Rust was expected for the Aces after not playing for six days. It showed in the first quarter, but not the final three.
The Aces inched closer to clinching the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs with a 94-73 win over the Phoenix Mercury at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Friday.
It was the first game for the Aces since Saturday, a 103-77 win over the Seattle Storm that capped off a stretch of 11 games in 19 days.
“It felt good just to get back on the court,” said forward A’ja Wilson. “I don’t think we had that many days off in a minute.”
Wilson led the way with 30 points and nine rebounds, and the Aces (33-6) had four players in double figures. Chelsea Gray had 14 points and 12 assists, and Jackie Young chipped in with 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting. Kelsey Plum shot just 5 of 15, but finished with 18 points.
It was the fifth time this season Wilson reached the 30-point mark. The reigning MVP is entering the final game of the regular season in, virtually, a two-woman race with New York’s Breanna Stewart for the league’s top individual award.
“There’s not a question in my mind, it's the person sitting next to me,” Gray said of Wilson being the frontrunner.
A win on Sunday (noon, ESPN2) in a rematch against the Mercury, at T-Mobile Arena, will mark the second straight year the defending WNBA champions will enter the postseason with the league's best record.
The Aces hold a one-game lead over Stewart and the Liberty for the top spot in the league. The Liberty's regular season finale is at home against the Washington Mystics on Sunday. That game tips off before the Aces host Phoenix.
The Chicago Sky clinched the final playoff berth with a 92-87 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Friday. The Sky are locked into the No. 8 seed, meaning the Aces hold all the cards for a first-round matchup against the 2021 WNBA champions starting this week.
An Aces loss and Liberty win on Sunday would drop Las Vegas to the No. 2 seed and a first-round matchup with the Mystics.
A Minnesota win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday would also wrap up the No. 1 seed for the Aces.
“Hopefully we take care of business on Sunday,” coach Becky Hammon said. “We’re in a dangerous situation. We’re playing a team that has nothing to lose. It’s hard to beat any team, I don’t care what league, what gender, whatever, two times in a row.”
Despite an uncharacteristic 3-point shooting night for the Aces (6 of 25), they still shot 54.3% from the floor and assisted on 25 of 38 baskets. Phoenix, meanwhile, was held to 34% shooting to offset a triple-double from Mercury guard Sug Sutton.
While the Aces could’ve wrapped things up regarding the No. 1 seed, the absences of Candace Parker and Riquna Williams have played a role in that. It could be a good thing that the Aces still have something to play for entering Game 40/40.
Wilson doesn’t see it that way.
“Even if it was solidified, we still can’t be complacent with who we are,” she said. “That’s my sole goal as one of the leaders on this team, is to not be complacent. It’s good to have something to play for, but we’re playing for a championship. We’re playing for something that’s our destiny at this point, the legacy of the Las Vegas Aces.”
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
