After opening the season with four straight home games, the Las Vegas Aces rode on their chartered flight to face the Minnesota Lynx. After a nip-and-tuck affair in the first three quarters, the two-time WNBA defending champs surged to the finish line.
Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson combined for 18 fourth quarter points, which was enough to give the Aces the W. The defense also answered the bell for coach Becky Hammon’s team to walk away with an 80-66 victory.
Las Vegas Aces vs Minnesota Lynx game player stats and box scores
Las Vegas Aces game player stats and box scores
Minnesota Lynx game player stats and box scores
Las Vegas Aces vs Minnesota Lynx Game Summary
Defense and a handful of unforced errors were the theme in the opening quarter of the game between the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx. The opening minutes were sluggish as neither team could get a rhythm on offense due to the said reasons. The visitors took a slim 18-16 advantage after the first 10 minutes ended.
Las Vegas’ offense looked its usual staff to start the second frame behind Jackie Young’s early flurry. She scored five straight points before Kate Martin drilled a 23-footer to make it 26-19.
The Lynx, however, responded with a run to regain the lead 31-30 after back-to-back triples by Kayla McBride and Alanna Smith. It looked like Minnesota would pull away but A’ja Wilson snuffed out the run.
The Las Vegas Aces ended the quarter with a 10-3 run to take a 43-34 advantage heading into the halftime break.
The Las Vegas Aces tried to blow the game open at the start of the third quarter. Alysha Clark’s triple made it 50-39. A missed shot and then a turnover by Aces guard Jackie Young grounded their momentum.
The Minnesota Lynx capitalized on that break to slowly catch up with their opponents. Courtney Williams’ 19-footer cut the deficit to 56-54 with a little over a minute to go. A late surge behind Kate Martin and A’ja Wilson, however, kept Las Vegas in the driver’s seat 62-56.
The Aces’ defense stamped its foot down starting the fourth quarter, limiting the Lynx to 10 points. Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and Wilson scored all of Las Vegas’ 18 points to decisively win the showdown 80-66.
Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith’s 3-pointers tonight
Reigning WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson jacked up one shot from deep and missed it, while Kelsey Plum drilled 1-of-4 attempts from the same range.
Like Wilson, Napheesa Collier also couldn’t get it going, misfiring on her only attempt from that distance. Alanna Smith went 1-for-2 in 3-pointers in the first half tonight.
Wilson didn’t attempt another shot from rainbow distance but Plum eventually finished 2-for-8.
Smith had a 1-for-3 clip while Collier ended up with a 1-for-2 line from the same range.
Also read: “All gonna be good”: Reigning WNBA MVP Finals A’ja Wilson warns league intentions through 40-game season
