LOS ANGELES (June 8, 2024)—The Las Vegas Aces (5-3, 1-1) continue Commissioner’s Cup play this weekend as they traveled to Los Angeles for a Sunday, 6 pm PT meeting with the Sparks (3-7, 1-2).
The Aces fell to 1-1 in Cup play Friday, dropping a 78-65 decision at home to the Seattle Storm (box score/recap). A’ja Wilson (29 points) ran her streak of consecutive 20-plus point games to 13, tying the league record originally set by Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi from July 22, 2006 to May 19, 2007. Kelsey Plum added 18 points in the loss, but the rest of the Aces scored just 18 points on 6 of 30 shooting from the field and 4 for 17 from 3-point range.
Wilson leads the WNBA in both scoring (28.0 ppg) and rebounding (12.3 rpg), and ranks second in blocks (2.63 bpg) and sixth in steals (1.88). She is 15 points away from become the fourth-youngest player and third-fastest player in league history to score 4,000 points in her career.
Plum (18.8 ppg) and Jackie Young (18.3 ppg) rank ninth and 10th in the league respectively in scoring, while Young is also third in the WNBA in assists per game (7.0 apg).
Las Vegas has the third most efficient offense in the league (102.6 points per 100 possessions), and takes better care of the basketball than any team in the W, averaging a turnover every 14.5 possessions. The Aces are also tied with the Dallas Wings as the top free throw shooting team in the league.
On the other side of the ball, Las Vegas has the sixth most efficient defense in the WNBA. Opponents make just 40.9 percent of their shots from the field against the Aces, but they make a league-high 37.4 percent of their 3-pointers. Las Vegas is also the best defensive rebounding team in the league, snagging 74.6 percent of available defensive boards.
The Sparks are led by Dearica Hamby (20.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg), who is one of three players in the league this season averaging 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds per game. Only three players in WNBA history have gone an entire season averaging 20+ points and 10+ boards.
Kia Nurse, acquired in an offseason trade, is the only other member of the Sparks averaging double figures in scoring (11.0 ppg).
Los Angeles’ offensive is ranked 10th in the league in efficiency at 94.4 points per 100 possessions. They are one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the W, but they turn the ball over more than any team in the league. The Sparks defense is ranked 8th in the WNBA allowing 101.2 points per 100 possessions.
The Aces are 46-54 all-time against Los Angeles, with wins in 14 of their last 15 meetings including an 89-82 win on may 18 of this year (box score/recap)