LAS VEGAS (July 7, 2018)—With the Aces’ win over Chicago Thursday, Las Vegas vaulted over the Sky into ninth place in the WNBA, and now trails the Atlanta Dream by two games in the race for a postseason berth. The top eight teams advance to the playoffs regardless of conference. Las Vegas takes on sixth place Connecticut Saturday beginning at 7:30 pm PT.
Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
Phoenix | 14 | 5 | .737 | — |
Seattle | 14 | 5 | .737 | — |
Washington | 11 | 6 | .647 | 2.0 |
Los Angeles | 12 | 7 | .632 | 2.0 |
Minnesota | 11 | 7 | .611 | 2.5 |
Connecticut | 10 | 8 | .556 | 3.5 |
Dallas | 9 | 8 | .529 | 4.0 |
Atlanta | 8 | 9 | .471 | 5.0 |
Las Vegas | 7 | 12 | .368 | 7.0 |
Chicago | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7.5 |
New York | 5 | 13 | .278 | 8.5 |
Indiana | 2 | 17 | .105 | 12 |
Since beginning the year with a 1-7 record, Las Vegas has gone 6-5 over its last 11 games. The improvement has come on both ends of the floor, but particularly on the offensive end.
Offense | Defense |
|||||||||
FG% | 3G% | TOs | PPG | ORPct | OER | 3G% | DRPct | DER | ||
1-7 start | .409 | .286 | 14.9 | 78.9 | .227 | 92.0 | .384 | .738 | 106.1 | |
6-5 since | .446 | .432 | 13.2 | 83.3 | .262 | 101.3 | .311 | .777 | 100.8 |
The Aces are led by reigning WNBA Rookie of the Month award winner, and MVP candidate A’ja Wilson, who ranks fifth in the league in scoring (20.3 ppg), third in rebounding (8.4), and fifth in blocked shots (1.68). She is joined by 2018 All-Star candidate Kayla McBride, who is averaging career highs in scoring ( 18.5), field goal percentage (.469), three-point field goal percentage (.421) and assists (2.7).
Connecticut has been the polar opposite of the Aces this season, beginning the year with wins in seven of its first eight games, and going 3 and 7 over its last 10. The Sun boast five players scoring in double figures, but have been without the services of Alyssa Thomas and her 12.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game since mid-June. Chiney Ogwumike leads the team averaging 15.3 points per game, while connecting on 59.1 percent of her field goal attempts.
The Aces and Sun have met once previously this year, in the season opener for both teams. Connecticut picked up the 101-65 victory over Las Vegas, but the Aces were without McBride and Kelsey Plum, who were completing their overseas commitments, and Moriah Jefferson, who was out with an injury until just last week.