LAS VEGAS (Sept. 2, 2024)—The Las Vegas Aces (20-12) can put some additional distance between themselves and the Seattle Storm tomorrow when they host the Chicago Sky (11-21) at 7 pm PT at T-Mobile Arena. The Aces are a game up on the Storm with 8 games to play. While Las Vegas hosts the 8th-place Sky, the Storm (19-13) play their second of consecutive games against the 2nd-place Connecticut Sun (24-8).

Download Game Notes

	W	L	GB	Home	Road
New York *	27	6	—		Sept. 8
Connecticut *	24	8	2.5	Sept. 15	Sept. 6
Minnesota *	24	9	3.0
Las Vegas *	20	12	6.5
Seattle *	19	13	7.5		Sept. 17
Indiana	17	16	10.0		Sept. 11, 13
Phoenix	16	17	11.0
Chicago	11	21	15.5	Sept. 3

Atlanta	11	21	15.5
Washington	9	23	17.5
Dallas	9	23	17.5	Sept. 19
Los Angeles	7	25	19.5
* Clinched Playoff Berth

Chicago has lost 6 straight games and 7 of its last 8 since a July 17 trade which sent their second-leading scorer, Marina Mabrey, to the Connecticut Sun. Mabrey was averaging 14.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists prior to trade, and Chicago had the 11th and the 6th most efficient offense and defense respectively at the time. Since the Olympic break ended they rank 10th in both.

Sky	PPG	FG%	3G%	OER	DER	OppPPG	OppFG%	Opp3G%
First 23 games (10-14)	79.3	.425	.314	97.9	100.5	81.2	.438	.320
Last 8 games (1-7)	75.4	.415	.298	96.3	105.7	83.6	.438	.340

Free agent acquisition Chennedy Carter leads the Sky in scoring, averaging 17.2 points per game. However, she missed the last 2 games due to health and safety protocols. Chicago rookie Angel Reese leads the WNBA in rebounding at 13.1 per game, and broke the league’s single season rebound record Sunday. She now has 418 boards through 32 games—14 more than Sylvia Fowles who grabbed 404 in 34 games back in 2018.

The Aces win over the Mercury Sunday gave them their first back-to-back wins since before the Olympic break. The consecutive victories improved Las Vegas’ record to 3-5 over its last 8 games.

Aces	PPG	FG%	3G%	OER	DER	OppPPG	OppFG%	Opp3G%
First 23 games (16-7)	88.9	.453	.350	107.4	99.9	82.6	.427	.366
Last 8 games (4-5)	81.3	.445	.335	103.2	103.9	83.5	.447	.356

The Aces scored fewer than 80 points on 2 occasions during their first 23 games of the year, but have done so 3 times over their most recent 8 contests. They have also been getting beaten on the boards of late. Always one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the league since moving to Las Vegas, the Aces are grabbing just 69.7 percent of available D boards since July 16—the 6th lowest percentage in the league. On the offensive side of the boards, Las Vegas ranks last in the league over their last 9 games, grabbing 78.2 percent of available offensive rebounds.

Two-time M’VP A’ja Wilson is the front-runner for the award this year (and if you don’t vote for her, you should have your children taken away), leading the league in scoring (27.5 ppg) and blocks (2.69 bpg) while ranking 2nd in rebounding (12.0 rpg), 4th in steals (1.88 spg) and 4th in field goal percentage (.526). Her scoring average is nearly a full 5 points ahead of her nearest competitor—Arike Ogunbowae (22.7 ppg), and more than 2 points better than the league record of 25.3 ppg held by Diana Taurasi. Wilson is also challenging the WNBA “stocks” record as she is averaging a combined 4.625 blocks plus steals per game on the year, which would best Yolanda Griffith’s record of 4.5 per game, set in 2000.

Wilson’s 9.7 win shares are also far and away the most in the league—2.3 more than second place Breanna Stewart of New York and 3.7 more than Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier. To put that in perspective, Wilson’s season is a full Jackie Young (3.7 win shares in 2024) better than Collier’s this year, and more than a Kelsey Plum (2.0 win shares) better than Stewart’s.

Plum (17.6 ppg) and Young (16.9 ppg) are also both ranked in the top 15 in the league in scoring, but over the last 8 games, they are averaging 14.4 and 12.4 points, respectively. Plum’s 89 made 3s are the 5th most in the W this year, and she is on pace to become just the second player in league history to make 100 or more 3s in multiple seasons (Taurasi). In addition to her scoring, Young ranks 7th in the league in assists at 5.4 per game after tying the franchise record when she dished out 14 dimes at Phoenix on September 1.

Tiffany Hayes, acquired early in the season as a free agent, is making her case for the 6th Player of the Year award. In 22 games as a reserve, the 12-year veteran is averaging 8.8 points while connecting on 51.1 percent of her shots from the field and 34.6 percent from 3-point range.

Las Vegas is 2-1 against the Sky this year, with the Aces winning both games in Chicago, and the Sky picking up a win at Michelob ULTRA Arena back on July 16.

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