LAS VEGAS (August 20, 2024)—The Las Vegas Aces (17-9) can take over third place in the WNBA Standings this week as they square off against the Minnesota Lynx (19-8) on Wednesday, August 21, and Friday, August 23. The August 21 meeting is at Michelob ULTRA Arena and tips on ESPN at 6:30 pm PT. The August 23 match up is being played at Target Center in Minneapolis and tips at 6:30 pm PT on ION.
Download Game Notes (FINAL)
With Sunday’s win over the Sparks, the Aces moved past Seattle into fourth place, a half game ahead of the Storm, and a game and a half back of the Lynx. A sweep this week over Minnesota would move Las Vegas a half game ahead of the Lynx. The second place Connecticut Sun host Los Angeles and Chicago on Wednesday and Friday before traveling to New York on Saturday, August 24, to close out the week.
| W | L | GB | Home | Road | |
| New York * | 23 | 4 | — | Sept. 8 | |
| Connecticut | 19 | 7 | 3.5 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 6 |
| Minnesota | 19 | 8 | 4.0 | Aug. 21 | Aug. 23 |
| Las Vegas | 17 | 9 | 5.5 | ||
| Seattle | 17 | 10 | 6.0 | Sept. 17 | |
| Phoenix | 15 | 13 | 8.5 | Sept. 1 | |
| Indiana | 13 | 15 | 10.5 | Sept. 11, 13 | |
| Chicago | 11 | 16 | 12.0 | Sept. 3 | Aug. 25 |
| Atlanta | 9 | 17 | 13.5 | Aug. 30 | |
| Los Angeles | 6 | 20 | 16.5 | ||
| Dallas | 6 | 21 | 17.0 | Sept. 19 | Aug. 27 |
| Washington | 6 | 21 | 17.0 | ||
| * Clinched Playoff Berth |
Minnesota has been one of the pleasant surprises of the 2024 season, with most preseason prognosticators predicting that they would have difficulty making the playoffs. A year ago the Lynx finished with a 19-21 record, the 8th most efficient offense in the league and the 10th most efficient defense.
They added the likes of Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith in the offseason, and have completely turned their fortunes around on the defensive side of the ball where they now lead the WNBA in defensive efficiency (93.4 DER).
After allowing teams to make 35.7 percent of their shots from 3-point range, Minnesota’s opponents are now connecting on a league low 28.5 percent. It has been more than 10 years since a team finished a season with a sub-.300 opponent 3-point field goal percentage (Los Angeles, 2013, .291), and Minnesota’s current percentage is the lowest in the league since the Lynx completed the 2004 campaign by allowing teams to make just 27.9 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.
The 2024 Lynx also rank third in the league in opponent turnover percentage, forcing a miscue on 20.1 percent of the oppositions’ possessions, and they send opponents to the free throw line just 16.5 times per game—the second lowest figure in the W.
Napheesa Collier is having another All-WNBA season—1 of 4 players averaging a double-double on the year (20.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg). At 32 years old, former Aces all-star Kayla McBride is enjoying her best season as a pro, averaging 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and career-highs of 5.5 assists and 2.4 steals, all while connecting on 42.0 percent of her 3-balls.
Offseason acquisitions Williams (10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.3 apg) and Smith (11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg, .435 3G%) give Minnesota 4 double-digit scorers on the year, with Smith in particular having a career year.
For the Aces, A’ja Wilson continues to run away with the 2024 M’VP discussion as she is averaging a league-leading 27.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game (2nd in the W). Her scoring average would shatter the WNBA mark for a season (Diana Taurasi, 25.3, 2006).
The 6-time All-Star is also leading the league in blocked shots (2.85) and ranks 4th in steals (2.04) and field goal percentage (.526). The only player to finish a WNBA season averaging at least 2 steals and 2 blocks is … nobody. Nobody has ever done it. In addition, only Yolanda Griffith has ever posted a single-season “stocks” average (steals + blocks) of at least 4.50. Wilson’s this season is 4.885—.335 better than Griffith’s 2000 campaign.
Wilson is by no means a one-woman show, as Kelsey Plum (18.2 ppg) and Jackie Young (17.6 ppg) both rank in the top 15 in the league in scoring (8th and 12th, respectively).
Plum’s 77 made 3-pointers are the 4th most in the league, and she is on pace to become just the second player in league history to record 100 made 3s in multiple seasons (Diana Taurasi).
Young, meanwhile, ranks 6th in the WNBA in assists, having played the point for the first 12 games of the season while Chelsea Gray rehabbed her lower leg injury.
The Point Gawd has been back in the lineup since June 19, and the Aces are 11-3 since that time. She is averaging 4.8 assists in just 25.1 minutes per game and has started to find her shot of late, making 11 of her last 21 field goal attempts, including 4 of 8 from distance.
Tiffany Hayes, acquired early in the season as a free agent, is making her case for the 6th Player of the Year award. In 17 games as a reserve, the 12-year veteran is averaging 8.8 points while connecting on 48.0 percent of her shots from the field and 34.9 percent from 3-point range.
After leading the WNBA in both offensive (113.0) and defensive efficiency (97.7) a year ago, the Aces are second (105.9) and 5th (99.5) respectively in 2024. They make 45.2 percent of their field goal attempts (2nd in the W), 34.0 percent of their 3-pointers (4th), and 84.0 percent of their free throws (1st).
On the other side of the ball, Las Vegas leads the league in defensive rebound percentage (.746), but ranks 10th in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (.355).
The Aces and Lynx have split their 2 previous games this season with each team winning on the other’s home court—Las Vegas 80, Minnesota 66 on May 29 (box score); Minnesota 100, Las Vegas 86 on June 11 (box score).