LOS ANGELES (July 31, 2019)—The  Las Vegas Aces are the hottest team in the WNBA having won three straight, and eight of their last nine. Despite that streak, the Aces find themselves in a fight to separate from the pack. At 14-6 they are tied with the Connecticut Sun for the top spot in the league standings. Both teams are a half game ahead of the Washington Mystics, and just four games ahead of the eighth-place Minnesota Lynx.

Las Vegas takes on the Los Angeles Sparks Thursday at 7 pm PT on ESPN2, while Connecticut hosts the Phoenix Mercury at 4 pm (watch Coach Johnson’s video scout).

The Aces have been without the services of 2018 Rookie of the Year A’ja Wilson for the last three games as the two-time All-Star hurt her right ankle in a July 19 loss at Seattle. The team has rallied, however, thanks in large part to the play of leading Sixth Woman of the Year candidate Dearica Hamby. Hamby took Wilson’s place in the starting lineup, and is averaging 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds while making 65.6 of her shots from the field, and 62.5 percent from long distance over the last three games. Cambage is averaging a double-double since Wilson’s injury at 14.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Las Vegas had held on to its number one defensive ranking without Wilson as well, holding the opposition to 63.3 points per game, and 36.6 percent shooting from the field. The Aces are also forcing an average of 18.7 turnovers per game over the last three games.

Injuries, suspensions and the EuroBasket Tournament have prevented Los Angeles from playing with its full roster for most of the season, but the Sparks are almost as hot as the Aces with wins in four of their last five, and seven of their last nine games. Nneka Ogwumike is averaging 19.9 points and 9.4 rebounds during that stretch, while Chelsea Gray is averaging 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists.

Riquana Williams was averaging 16.8 points per game during the first six games of the Sparks most recent hot stretch, but she began serving a 10-game suspension in mid-July. Defensively, Los Angeles is holding opponents to 40.5 percent shooting over the last nine games, including 32.1 percent from three-point range.

The Aces have lost eight straight games to the Sparks at Staples Center, and the teams split their two games so far this season with both clubs winning on their home floor.