A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces claimed an electrifying 87-71 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, and it's extra special since the win at Michelob Ultra Arena was drenched in sweet revenge. It was the first of three competitions with the Sparks this season in which the two-time champions reigned supreme and took the win.
“Them having two wins on us was also the biggest thing that we really didn’t like. So coming in, we were all on the same page that we gotta take care of business at this point,” Wilson said in the post-game conference.
The two-time MVP was a monster on the court from tip to buzzer, racking up an astonishing 34 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and two blocks. Wilson extended her streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts to 39 games. The Aces star’s feat is the longest active streak in the league and tied for the 23rd longest in WNBA history.
“By any means necessary, we’re going to win, and it doesn’t matter if the scoreboard says something different. I want to leave the 94 feet I play feeling like I won that battle,” Wilson added.
Even with some minor frustrations and distractions, the Aces had a stellar game, showing the league that the two-time champs plan to become the three-time champs by the end of this season.
A'ja Wilson’s passion to win
It was an electrifying game from start to finish. The Aces' championship motto of space and pace was in use in this contest. “Playing in space, particularly around this part of the year, is going to be a lot more in my favor,” Wilson explained.
If Wilson has the space she needs, the results could be explosive. The Aces forward was battling from the jump. It was all about the steals and blocks in the matchup between the Aces and the Sparks.
Nearly all of the Aces stars got a piece of the action, many of those blocks resulting in buckets for the home team. Wilson came out in the first quarter with a rejection and a nice finish that resulted in a smooth and easy two points for the Aces. It was only the beginning of what the two-time MVP would do in Sunday's matchup against the Sparks.
Wilson’s every move was strategic; she made use of what was in front of her. The Aces star took advantage of transition defense and the Sparks’ weak spots to knock down the buckets. She was on fire throughout the entire game, but a fourth-quarter steal and beautiful finish had the crowd chanting MVP, a title she rightfully owns.
“I want to win really bad,” Wilson furthered after Sunday's victory. “I like to show that through my game, I like people to feel the passion not only that I play with but with my team because it’s hard. It’s really hard in this league to win.”
Wilson's passion spilled over in the third quarter when the two-time MVP received a technical foul. The Sparks' Dearica Hamby attempted to make a layup and was blocked by Alisha Clark and Wilson, who bounced the ball high in the air in frustration and walked away. The referees called a foul on Las Vegas.
“I don’t think personally it was a foul, so I was very frustrated in that sense,” Wilson said of the call. “It just gets frustrating at some points, and the same way I like to show my passion, I also like to show that all that glitters’ not gold.”
The Olympian is coming off a golden moment in the 2024 Paris Olympics, helping Team USA take home gold. Now, back home, she has yet to let her foot off the gas. This year’s MVP candidate is continuing a historic season all the way to the three-peat.
“This is one of our best games that we’ve played, and we need those types of games; we need those confidence games,” Wilson added.
Las Vegas' All-Star bench
Besides the two wins the Sparks had over the Aces, there was a certain tension on the court. Perhaps it was due to the Dearica Hamby lawsuit or maybe the pressure of having only 14 games in the season left. During the postgame conference, coach Becky Hammon addressed the lawsuit.
“I've been in either the WNBA or the NBA for now 25 years; I’ve never had an HR complaint, not ever, not once; I still didn't actually because Dearica couldn’t file any. She didn't file with the players union, she didn’t file with the WNBA, those are facts,” Hammon said on Sunday.
Regardless of what was going on off the court, the tension amped up the energy on the court. The Aces returned to the second half on top and with abundant energy. They were able to keep up a 10-point lead throughout the third quarter. The Sparks were able to close that gap towards the end of the quarter, but the two-time champions were already fueled and ready to finish the game on a high note. There was a real hustle from Megan Gustafson, who was essential in the effectiveness of several plays. She offered three rebounds, one steals and two points in her 11 minutes on the court.
Fans also started to see the re-emergence of a fully recovered Chelsea Gray. The Point Gawd stayed light on her feet, was where she needed to be and put up shots nearly at the perfect time. She played aggressively and with heart. The five-time WNBA All-Star and Olympian tallied eight points, four assists and two steals.
That was the energy from all of the Aces players that graced us with their presence on the court on Sunday. Sydney Colson came into the game late in the second half and delivered buckets. Colson made the shot to extend Las Vegas’ lead in the fourth quarter to 11 points, the biggest of the night. The energy carried until the final buzzer. There was even a review on a lovely 3-pointer Kelsey Plum landed as the whistle blew. Unfortunately, it didn’t count due to a reset of the shot clock. But still, the effort didn’t expire in this matchup.
“I thought overall it was a really great win. I thought our bench played wonderfully and really gave us that spark and that push that we needed,” Hammon added. “They’re awesome. Their energy was infectious. Colson coming in making plays. They were playing fast, and that’s always to our advantage.”
Las Vegas' main source of concern was the Sparks' Kia Nurse, Rickea Jackson. Hamby also helped put up most of Los Angeles’ shots. However, Wilson was such a problem on both the offensive and defensive end that containing her was Los Angeles' main priority.
With 14 games ahead, the Aces forge forward toward the three-peat their way. Being where they needed to be happened more often in Sunday's matchup, and that’s precisely what Hammon said she was looking for after Saturday’s upset to New York Liberty.
“I think now it’s kind of like a wake up factor. We have to really flip the switch and play at Aces basketball, and I think you saw that today,” Wilson said.
But perhaps the pace factor is still missing from this special recipe toward three-peat success.
“We’re not playing as fast, kind of, as I want to. I want a couple of more shots up. I don’t think we’re getting enough volume,” Hammon said in Sunday’s post-game conference. “We still felt like we’ve got a lot of room for improvement and growth.”
The Aces return to Michelob Ultra Arena on Wednesday August, 21st, to play the Minnesota Lynx at 6:30 p.m. PST.
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