WASHINGTON, DC (June 28, 2024)—The Las Vegas Aces (9-6) head to our nation’s capital this Saturday for an 11 am PT tip against the Washington Mystics (4-14) with a 3-game winning streak in tow—the team’s longest winning streak since the 2023 postseason. The game is being broadcast locally on the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network.
Las Vegas’ last 3 recent wins have come against two of the top teams in the league in Connecticut (14-3) and Seattle (11-6), and one of the WNBA’s young upstart teams in the Chicago Sky (6-10).
Two-time M’VP A’ja Wilson has been the biggest constant for the Aces in 2024, and is the leading contender for her third Most Valuable Player Award. The 5-time All-Star leads the league in scoring (28.0), rebounding (11.3) and blocked shots (2.40), while ranking 6th in steals (1.87 spg) and 8th in field goal percentage (.524 FG%). She also leads the WNBA in offensive win shares (3.2), defensive win shares (1.1) and overall win shares (4.3).
Wilson has scored 20 or more points in a WNBA-record 20 straight games, and is threatening to smash the league record for single season scoring average, currently held by Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi, who averaged 25.3 points per game in the 2006 season.
Jackie Young (18.4 ppg) and Kelsey Plum (18.3 pg) are also among the top 10 in the league in scoring, helping Las Vegas to the second most efficient in the W. The Aces are tops in the league at taking care of the basketball, averaging just 11.9 turnovers per game.
Although Las Vegas ranks 8th in the WNBA in defensive efficiency at 102.9 points allowed per 100 possessions, over the last 3 games, that DER is down to 98.0. The Aces are the best defensive rebounding team in the W, but opponents connect on a league-high 38.4 percent of their shots from 3-point range.
The Mystics are in rebuild mode following a 19-21 2023 campaign, and an offseason that saw them lose point guard Natasha Cloud to Phoenix as a free agent, and fail to come to an agreement with long-time DC fixture Elena Delle Donne.
They still have their second (Brittney Sykes, 15.9), fourth (Ariel Atkins, 11.5) and fifth (Shakira Austin, 10.0) returning scorers from a year ago, but only Atkins has been healthy in 2024. She is the team’s leading scorer at 14.5 points per game. Austin (11.7 ppg) and Sykes (11.3 ppg) are also averaging double figures, but they have played just 6 and 3 games respectively heading into the weekend.
That loss of firepower has the Mystics offense averaging just 97.5 points per 100 possessions (3rd lowest in the league). Their defense has performed better, as they allow 101.6 points per 100 possessions (7th best in the WNBA).
One of the team’s biggest challenges has been in the turnover department as they commit the 3rd most in the W at 16.6 per game. Washington also takes the fewest free throw attempts in the league averaging 15.6 per game.
Las Vegas is 29-28 all-time against the Mystics and have dropped 4 of the last 6 meetings between the clubs, including all 3 during the 2022 season. This is the first of 3 games between the teams in 2024, as Washington travels to Las Vegas for a July 4 tilt, while the Aces return to DC on July 14.