Point Gawd comes up clutch on both ends as Aces extend win streak

Las Vegas guard Chelsea Gray looks to find a teammate while guarded by Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Former WNBA Finals MVP Chelsea Gray came up huge on both ends of the floor to help her Las Vegas Aces extend their win streak to six straight games.

Gray’s heroics helped Las Vegas escape Phoenix with an, 86-83, win over the Mercury Friday, Aug. 15 from the PHX Arena. The six-game win streak for the Aces has pushed the team’s overall record to 20-14 this season.

“We’re just focused on one game at a time,” she said. “We’re not really focused on the future and just trying to stay consistent.”

Entering Friday’s game, both teams were slotted in the fourth and fifth spots in the league’s standings with the Mercury holding the slight edge. Moreover, a single game separated the two teams.

Now with two wins in the first three meetings of the regular season series, Las Vegas looks to turn its attention to its three-game homestand. That home stretch will begin with a Sunday, Aug. 17 matchup against Dallas from the Michelob Ultra Arena with tip-off slated for 12:30 p.m.

“I think we just know how to weather storms right now,” forward A’ja Wilson said. “I think in the beginning we couldn’t get that and we wanted it but we didn’t understand that we’ve got a whole new group. From top to bottom, a whole new group, and that takes time and it takes giving each other a lot of grace.”

Gray’s 16-point, nine-assist outing was capped by the three-time league champion sealing the win for her team. On the offensive side of the ball, she drilled two clutch shots inside of the final two minutes of regulation to put her team up four and five points respectively. She’d also come up clutch at the free throw line, going 2-for-2 with 0.8 seconds left in the contest.

Aces forward A'ja Wilson reacts after hitting a jumper over Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

“Well, Chelsea was great tonight – there’s no doubt about that,” Hammon said. “There’s nobody I want passing more than Chelsea but the delicate line of when to take over, when it’s her time and I thought she did that balancing act really great tonight.”

While playing the other end of the floor, Gray stole a Phoenix inbounds pass with 3.6 left in regulation before getting a final block on a three-point attempt as time expired. Her late-game heroics helped Las Vegas secure the win despite losing its 10-point deficit.

“It’s really been the communication that’s gotten better,” she said. “And as much as people say you need to figure out and learn how to gel on the offensive end, it’s the same thing defensively.”

Wilson was a big part of helping build that double-digit lead after she posted a 20-point, nine-rebound first half. She’d finish with 30 points and 16 rebounds while going 14-of-15 from the free throw line.

In total, the Aces won the rebounding battle, 39-30, while hauling in five more offensive rebounds than their opponent, 12-7.

“It felt settled,” Wilson said. “I really don’t like to settle, I hate settling [...] It felt like a naturally calm game and that’s not something that I’m used to in this league. I don’t think I’ve had a patient game in a minute.”

All-star guard Jackie Young didn’t score her first field goal until the second quarter but would close the night with 17 points on 7-of-13 from the floor to go along with seven rebounds and five assists.

Fellow guard Jewell Loyd was the final player in double-figures with 10 points including two of the team’s four made three-pointers on the night.