LAS VEGAS, NV (July 23, 2022)—The Las Vegas Aces (20-8) got 29 points from Kelsey Plum and 24 from A’ja Wilson, alongside one of the best team defensive efforts of the year in an 84-66 win over the visiting Los Angeles Sparks (12-15). With the victory, the Aces clinch a playoff berth for the fourth straight season. They join the Chicago Sky (21-7) as the only two teams to have clinched a spot in the postseason so far.
KEY RUNS
First Quarter (Los Angeles 22, Las Vegas 21)
The Aces scored 16 of the first 22 points of the game to go up double figures, but the Sparks scored 16 of the next 21 to take the lead after 10 minutes. Los Angeles went 12 for 13 from the free throw line in the period, while the Aces went 5 for 5.
Second Quarter (Las Vegas 39, Los Angeles 39)
Neither team led by more than 5 the entire quarter.
Third Quarter (Las Vegas 57, Los Angeles 53)
The Aces trailed by 7 with 5:12 remaining in the period, but they held the Sparks scoreless for the remainder of the quarter, and closed the third stanza on a 12-0 run. Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson combined to score 16 of the team’s 18 points in the frame.
Fourth Quarter (Las Vegas 84, Los Angeles 66)
Los Angeles cut the Aces advantage to two early in the fourth, but Las Vegas went on a 10-0 run and a 15-4 run to put the game out of reach. The Aces made 60.0 percent of their shots from the field including 5 of 8 from three-point range in the period.
KEY STATS
It has been 862 days since Breonna Taylor was murdered.
Las Vegas made 10 of 27 shots from three-point range, while the Sparks connected on just 2 of 12.
The Aces took 11 more shots than the Sparks thanks to a 9-4 advantage in offensive rebounds, and committing three fewer turnovers than Los Angeles (15-12)
Los Angeles’ bench outscored the Aces bench, 22-8
GAME NOTES
The Aces held Los Angeles to 66 points which is a season-low for a Las Vegas opponent.
Kelsey Plum extended her streak of consecutive games with at least one made three-pointer to 35 games, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA.
Kelsey Plum’s 4 three-pointers give her 88 on the year, extending her franchise single-season record. That tied the record for most threes in a season by somebody not named Diana Taurasi (Katie Smith in 2000). Taurasi holds the league record with 121 three-pointers in a season.
A’ja Wilson scored in double figures for the 26th time this season and the 134th time in her career (24 points). It was her 15th game of 20 or more points this year and the 69th of her career, which extends her franchise record for most 20-point games in a career. It is also the 7th straight game in which she has scored 20 or more points breaking the franchise record she shared with Becky Hammon.
Chelsea Gray scored in double-figures for the 21st time this season and the 158th time in her career (10 points).
Jackie Young scored in double figures for the 23rd time this season and the 63rd time in her career. She also narrowly missed out on a double-double grabbing a season-high 9 rebounds.
NEXT OPPONENT
The Aces hit the road for a franchise-record six straight games beginning with a Tuesday, July 26 tilt at Chicago for the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Tip at Wintrust Arena is 5:30 pm PT