WNBA playing with fire: Las Vegas Aces win ninth straight game originally appeared on The Sporting News
The WNBA with fire, letting the Las Vegas Aces get hot.
Aces crush Mercury for ninth straight win, Wilson leads the way
The Las Vegas Aces look unstoppable right now. Behind A’ja Wilson’s 19 points and 13 rebounds, plus Dana Evans dropping 17 off the bench, the defending champs rolled past the Phoenix Mercury 83-61 on Thursday night. The win stretched their streak to nine games and continued their late-season surge up the standings.
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Aces keep climbing in WNBA standings
Las Vegas hasn’t lost since August 2, when Minnesota embarrassed them at home by more than 50 points. At that moment, the Aces sat at 14-14 and clinging to eighth place. Three weeks later, they’ve ripped off 11 wins in 12 games and are now 23-14 with the third-best record in the league.
Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and NaLyssa Smith each added 12 points, giving coach Becky Hammon plenty of balance in the lineup. The Aces have also built a fortress at home, winning seven straight inside Michelob Ultra Arena.
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Defense shuts down Phoenix
The Mercury had no answers against the Aces’ defense, managing season lows in both points (61) and shooting percentage (31 percent). Alyssa Thomas paced Phoenix with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Satou Sabally scored 15.
Whenever Phoenix tried to chip away, Las Vegas responded. After Sabally cut the gap to single digits in the third quarter, Evans answered with a floater and Gray buried a fadeaway jumper to close the period up 13. The Mercury never got closer again.
Hammon credited the turnaround to the team’s defensive commitment. “We’ve got too many high-scoring teams in this league to survive without defense,” she said. “It’s become our calling card.”
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Wilson keeps producing, Copper goes down
Wilson’s streak of 30-point outings ended at three, but her 18th double-double of the year was more than enough to carry the load. She set the tone early, battling inside and controlling the glass.
Phoenix took another blow when Kahleah Copper left in the third quarter after colliding with Wilson. The Mercury star did not return.
Las Vegas now looks like a team no one wants to face in September. What was once a shaky season has turned into a statement stretch run, and the Aces have re-established themselves as a true title threat.
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