The top two teams in the WNBA meet Thursday night with the Minnesota Lynx visiting the Las Vegas Aces.
The Lynx (32-8) own the league’s best record, but the Aces (26-14) are the hottest team, riding a 12-game winning streak.
Minnesota won the first three meetings vs. Las Vegas, including a 111-58 victory Aug. 2 in the most recent matchup. Kayla McBride poured in 24 points for Minnesota in that game.
Las Vegas hasn’t lost since, tying the franchise record for longest winning streak. Three of the last six outcomes have come by double-figure margins.
“This team is etching out their presence,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said.
Thursday night’s game features the two leading scorers in the WNBA.
A’ja Wilson has reached the 30-point mark in six of the Aces’ last nine games. She also has led the team in rebounding 10 times during the winning streak.
Most recently, the Aces swept three games on a road trip by winning at Washington, Chicago and Atlanta. Las Vegas is coming off a seven-day layoff.
“That ability to kick it up an extra notch, we’ve really been able to do that on the defensive end, and it’s winning us games,” Hammond said.
Since losing three of five games, Minnesota has posted back-to-back victories with blowouts of Connecticut and Dallas. In Monday’s 96-71 domination of visiting Dallas, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman became the fifth pair of teammates in WNBA history with 15 or more points and nine or more assists in a game.
“I feel like me and Courtney are like a dynamic duo,” said Hiedeman, whose 20 points and 10 assists resulted in her first double-double.
Meanwhile, Lynx forward Napheesa Collier is averaging a league-leading 23.5 points per game — barely ahead of Wilson (23.4)
Minnesota guard DiJonai Carrington played only 10 minutes against Dallas because of a shoulder ailment.
“I know this is something she deals with,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.
The Lynx have wrapped up the league’s best regular-season record, while the Aces are assured of a spot in the playoffs. But with two other teams with the same record as Las Vegas entering Wednesday, there’s still quite a bit at stake for the Aces in terms of postseason seeding.
–Field Level Media
