Wilson makes more history as Aces capture 2nd 4-game win streak of season

Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson interacts with the front row during the team's home win over Seattle inside Michelob Ultra Arena. Photo Credit: Adan Castillo/Talk that Talk Media

Las Vegas appears to be a different team in Commissioner’s Cup games this season.

The Aces capped a brief two-game homestand with its second straight home victory, this time it was a 101-91 finish over the Seattle Storm Monday, June 8 from the Michelob Ultra Arena. That runs the team’s current streak to four consecutive games which ties a season-long stretch.

“Our offense is getting a little bit better,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “We gave up 32 in the fourth quarter, I didn’t like that. Pretty solid in the second and third but I want 40 minutes of defense.”

As a result, the Aces are now 8-3 on the year which includes a perfect 3-0 record in Commissioner’s Cup games this year. The franchise won the in-season tournament back in 2022.

With the two-game homestand now a thing of the past, Las Vegas will get ready for its first-ever meeting with the Portland Fire. That contest is set for Thursday, June 11 with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.

“Not all successful teams have to like each other,” Hammon said. “But it sure is fun when they do.”

For a moment in the fourth quarter, it looked like the Aces were going to squander a big lead yet again before continued excellent play from forward A’ja Wilson.

She wouldn’t let her team be denied as it put the finishing touches on the win in a game where it didn’t trail after the early portion of the second quarter.

“We still show up every single day, ready to  work and ready to be great,” Wilson said. “If we can do that, the records are going to break themselves at that point.”

Aces forward A'ja Wilson converts a layup inside a crowded paint. Photo Credit: Adan Castillo/Talk that Talk Media

In the fourth quarter, Wilson became the youngest and fastest player to reach 6,000 points for her career. She is now a single point away from tying Hall-of-Famer Seimone Augustus for 18th all-time and three points away from tying Hall-of-Famer Lauren Jackson for the 17th spot.

“Nothing surprises me with the woman,” Hammon said. “Tonight, she has nine [assists]. She just continues to get better and better. She got up five threes so I love that. She got to work in the paint – she just spreads the floor.”

Wilson tallied 34 points in the win on 10-of-19 shooting to go along with 11 makes from the free throw line. In addition, she added three makes from deep on five attempts.

Late in regulation, various Aces players were shooting anything that came off a Wilson pass as she concluded the night a single assist-shy of her first career triple-double.

Her final stat line read 34 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, three blocks and a steal, the first in league history to achieve that stat line.

“If we can break records here, then we’re going to try and do that,” forward NaLyssa Smith said. “Just trying to get her that triple-double, that’s what we were trying to do. That’s it, that’s all.”

Wilson did it on the offensive end as well as the defensive end including two of those blocks coming in the first quarter. At that time, Seattle center Dominique Malonga was a handful for the team’s collective defense with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Malonga went directly into the chest of Wilson time and time again in the game’s opening quarter.

“It didn’t really come by surprise,” Wilson said. “She’s been out for a couple of games and I’m pretty sure she’s trying to get back in the flow of it. And why not try to get into the flow of it against me. Might as well, I would do the same, shit.”

As she battled foul trouble, Malonga would slowly be taken out of the game. Searching for a rhythm, she missed her next four shots from the floor while ending the game with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

Las Vegas forward NaLyssa Smith fights through contact against Seattle center Stefanie Dolson. Photo Credit: Adan Castillo/Talk that Talk Media

“We were just trying to make her looks as difficult as possible,” Hammon said. “They got her and [center Awa] Fam on a couple of rolls on us in the fourth quarter so I’ve got to look at the pick-and-roll defense. I didn’t love that.”

Smith did all the dirty work for Las Vegas including converting on back-to-back and-one plays on backdoor cuts.

“The coaches have been emphasizing and-ones for me,” she said. “Just going up there, being aggressive, being physical – I love to play physical. Trying to get into the body, draw contact and making one free throw is easier than making two so I’m trying to get as many and-ones as I can.”

Smith closed the night with 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the field to go along with nine rebounds. The duo of Wilson and Smith helped the Aces score 40 points in the paint as well as win the rebounding battle by 12.

“She was really good tonight,” Hammon said. “She just continues to find spots, continuing to play alongside A and insert herself. More than the and-ones, I’m happy she made her free throws [...] She’s got to be an and-one queen.”

Guard Jackie Young set a new season-high scoring output for a second straight game. This time, she put up 29 points on 10-of-19 from the field to go along with six assists and three rebounds.

Fellow guard Chelsea Gray added 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the win. That second quarter had her fingerprints all over it with seven points and two assists in the 10-minute session.

In total, Las Vegas dished out 27 assists on 35 made field goals.

“I just think people are settling in a little more offensively for us,” Hammon said. “Which helps our defense, you’re not in transition defense all the time. There’s definitely some things we’ve got to clean up.”