One of two teams already assured of a spot in the WNBA playoffs, the Las Vegas Aces will aim to bounce back from a loss when they host the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night.
The Aces (24-12), the reigning WNBA champions armed with the reigning league MVP in A’ja Wilson, are coming off a 92-87 loss to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Saturday.
Wilson cleaned up with 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting to go with seven rebounds, but NaLyssa Smith was the only other Las Vegas starter to shoot better than 33% from the floor.
Las Vegas also turned the ball over 13 times and allowed rookie point guard Olivia Miles — perhaps the biggest threat to Wilson’s bid for a third consecutive MVP award — to pile up 23 points and eight assists.
“Our offensive woes gave us defensive woes,” said Aces coach Becky Hammon. “We have to be more efficient offensively against this team, we’ve gotta shoot the ball a little bit better.”
Wilson, who passed Hall of Famer Candace Parker on Saturday for 11th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring chart, averages a league-best 26.1 points this season. The loss to the Lynx marked the 11th time this season she reached the 30-point mark.
The Dream (21-13) also are reeling from a loss, falling 95-91 in overtime on Sunday at home to the Indiana Fever despite 32 points from Allisha Gray and a double-double from Angel Reese. Atlanta shot 35.4% from the field, turned the ball over 15 times and were outscored 48-36 in the paint.
Reese missed a putback with three seconds left in regulation that would have given the Dream a 2-point lead. She shot 5-for-16 in the game, finishing with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
“It happens,” Gray said of Reese’s miss. “We know any other time, Angel will make the shot. She knows she’ll make the shot. In that moment, you’ve just got to encourage your teammates.”
Reese leads the WNBA in rebounding with 12.1 boards per game.
–Field Level Media
