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May 20, 2023 6:22 pm

Defending champion Aces smash Storm in opener

Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum each scored 23 points to fuel the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces to a 105-64 victory over the host Seattle Storm on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

Young and Plum each had five rebounds and made a trio of 3-pointers in the rout.

Chelsea Gray recorded 14 points, six assists and six rebounds and reigning MVP A’ja Wilson collected 13 points and 13 boards.

Two-time MVP Candace Parker added 12 points, boosting her career total to 6,424 to move past Sylvia Fowles (6,415) into ninth place on the WNBA’s all-time points leaders.

The Aces shot 54.8 percent from the floor (40 of 73), held a 50-32 edge in rebounds and benefited from eight blocks — three by Parker.

Tyler Marsh served as Las Vegas’ acting coach with Becky Hammon serving the first contest of a two-game suspension. The WNBA handed Hammon that ban without pay and rescinded a 2025 first-round draft pick from the Aces after ruling that the club had violated league rules in its treatment of former player Dearica Hamby.

Jewell Loyd overcame a sluggish start to finish with 22 points for the new-look Storm, who shot just 23.8 percent from 3-point range (5 of 21). Seattle struggled to find its chemistry in its first game without Sue Bird (retirement) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty).

Plum made a pair of free throws to end the first quarter and ignite a 16-2 run for Las Vegas. Parker drained a 3-pointer and Wilson converted a three-point play to cap that sequence and boost the Aces’ lead to 32-16 with 6:41 remaining in the second quarter.

Loyd halted that run by scoring the Storm’s next nine points, however Las Vegas held firm and took a 43-28 lead into intermission.

Young drained a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining in the third to give the Aces a 74-48 lead.

Las Vegas was not seriously threatened the rest of the way.

–Field Level Media

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