LAS VEGAS, NV (July 17, 2023)—The Las Vegas Aces get back to the grind this week with a 3-game road trip starting Thursday in Seattle after one of the most successful starts to a season in WNBA History. The team’s 19-2 record through 21 games is second only to the 1998 Houston Comets and 2016 Los Angeles Sparks 20-1 starts to their respective campaigns. The league record for most wins prior to a team’s third loss is 25 by those same 1998 Comets.

• Game Notes

The Aces lead the WNBA in both most points scored (94.0) and fewest points allowed per game (78.6) in 2023. The 1998 Houston squad is the only team to finish a season leading the league in both categories. Las Vegas would also break the WNBA mark for scoring average in a season should they maintain their current clip (2010, Phoenix, 93.9).

Las Vegas All-Stars A’ja Wilson (19.7), Jackie Young (19.1) and Kelsey Plum (19.1) are all averaging more than 19 points per game on the year. No team in WNBA history has ever had three players each average as many as 18 points during the regular season. All 3 are also connecting on more than 50 percent of their field goal attempts, as is All-Star Chelsea Gray. As a team, the Aces are challenging the league record, set by the 2020 Chicago Sky, for highest field goal percentage (.491), by making 50.5 percent of their shots on the year.

The Seattle Storm (4-16) have struggled this season following the retirement of WNBA legend Sue Bird and the free agency departure of two-time league champion and former MVP Breanna Stewart to New York. One year after ranking 5th in the league in scoring differential (+4.1) the Storm now find themselves ranked 11th, losing by an average margin of 7.4 points. They have the 2nd least efficient offense (96.3) in the league, and the 5th least efficient defense (105.2).

Following Bird and Stewart’s departure, five-time All-Star Jewell Loyd immediately assumed the mantle as Seattle’s go-to player, and she has not disappointed. Her scoring average of 25.7 points per game would break the WNBA record currently held by Diana Tauasi (25.3 ppg, 2006, Phoenix). Loyd is draining 40.5 percent of her shots from 3-point range (66 of 163), while also averaging 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Ezi Magbegor is the only other member of the Storm averaging in double figures at 13.4 points per game. She also leads the squad with 8.4 rebounds per contest.

The Aces and Storm have squared off against one another on 2 previous occasions this season with Las Vegas picking up a 105-64 win in the season opener, and a 96-63 victory on June 15. Dating back to last offseason, the Aces have won 5-straight games vs. Seattle.

The remainder of the 3 road games includes a July 22 clash at Minnesota (9-11) and a July 25 contest at Chicago (8-12).