The Las Vegas Aces saw their playoff run get off to the best possible start as they returned with a dominant 102-77 win over the Seattle Storm in Game 1 of their first-round series.
A’ja Wilson took over with a 29-point performance and the Aces now have a chance to end the series on Tuesday in Seattle.
What made the victory even more special was the fact that it was the 17th straight victory the Aces have registered, breaking the record for the second-longest streak in WNBA history, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou. The win was also the Storm’s worst playoff loss in franchise history.
An 18th consecutive win will tie the record for the longest winning streak in the history of the WNBA. That record is held by the 2001 Los Angeles Sparks led by Lisa Leslie, who went on to win the title that year.
With their win over the Storm, the Aces have leapfrogged the Phoenix Mercury, who registered 16 consecutive wins during the 2014 season. The No. 2-seeded Aces are one of the favorites for the title and finished the regular season with a 30-14 record.
The win itself proved to be straightforward, with the Aces rushing out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter. That number had doubled at the end of the first half as Las Vegas put the game out of reach early after a late tip time.
Wilson’s 29 points were also accompanied by eight rebounds and two assists, marking another stellar night for the three-time league MVP. However, the Aces saw multiple other stars contributing heavily in the win. Jackie Young scored 18 points, tallied seven assists and grabbed five rebounds while NaLyssa Smith also notched 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Aces also benefited from Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd producing 13 and 14 points off the bench, respectively. For the Storm, Gabby Williams led the way with 16 points, but a lack of consistent support meant that Seattle was fighting an uphill battle after a strong start from the Aces.
