Las Vegas powers past Chicago, Commissioner’s Cup up next

Las Vegas collected another win ahead of its Commissioner’s Cup final, adding to the team’s overall record in pursuit of the top spot in the league standings.

Picking up its 10th win in the last 12 showings, the Aces took down the Chicago Sky Sunday, June 28 from the United Center, 107-99. Moreover, it's the team’s ninth road win in 11 outings away from home.

“We shot well,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “We moved it decently. We didn’t beat somebody tonight, we outscored somebody. And that’s not the way I want to win games. We’ll take it, it’s a quality win, that team is playing well but we better fix our defense overnight here or else we’re going to get smacked by 30 in New York.”

Overall, Las Vegas sports a 14-5 record this year which is good for the second spot in the league standings. Presently, the club sits a game behind Minnesota (15-4) for the top spot.

Sunday was supposed to serve as the first of a home-and-home against Chicago but now the Commissioner’s Cup Final lies ahead for the group. It will now take on New York from Barclays Center Tuesday, June 30 in what will be a WNBA Finals rematch from three years ago.

“I think we’re still information-gathering,” Hammon said. “It’s a new system, new coach, they’ve got some new personnel. So I’m not going to – it’s not the end of the world, win or lose. We just played them last week, we should have a pretty good feel for them.”

Through the first 10:11 of the game, both the Aces and Sky had battled themselves into 15 different lead changes. Not long after, Las Vegas went on a 15-4 run that allowed it to go up 13 points. In short order that lead would jump to 16 before ultimately leading by as many as 18 points in the eventual win.

“Neither team was playing defense tonight,” Hammon said. “I’m pretty sure [Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh] is telling his team the same thing. He’s not going to be happy giving up 107, I’m not going to be happy to be giving up 99. We just have to have more care on the defensive end, we have to care more.”

Chicago wouldn’t go down without a fight as it would go on to win the fourth quarter, 26-21, while cutting the lead down to six at one point.

Forward A’ja Wilson scored 11 of her 30 points in that fourth quarter as part of a night that featured 13 makes at the free throw line on 16 tries. She also hauled in 15 rebounds, tying a season-high, for her ninth double-double of the season.

At one point of the game she went down holding her right ankle after twisting it.

“She said she’s fine,” Hammon said. “Probably just a tweak, I haven’t talked to her but she said she was fine, though.”

Guard Jackie Young came up just short of putting forth a 30-point effort in the win. She’d finish with 28 points, six rebounds and eight rebounds.

Young and teammate Chelsea Gray both shared in the team-high with those eight rebounds. In addition, those 16 collective assists was more than half of the team’s 20-assist total.

“You’ve just got to keep your head on a swivel when it comes to Chelsea,” Wilson said. “It could come from any direction so it keeps you on your toes. It always keeps you alert, it always helps me be ready to catch her passes at any point.”

Gray added 18 points in the victory.

Reserve guard Chennedy Carter played in her first game since June 13 after dealing with a nagging left leg injury as well as being sick. She raced out to a fast start with nine points in her first 11 minutes back on the floor.

Carter concluded the night with 11 points in 16 minutes.