Aces Clinch Playoff Spot With Gritty Win in Chicago
The Las Vegas Aces stayed locked in on Monday night, grinding out a 79-74 road win over the Chicago Sky to extend their winning streak to 11 games and secure their seventh consecutive playoff berth.
Jackie Young was unstoppable, dropping 22 points while also adding 7 assists and 3 steals. A’ja Wilson, steady as ever, finished with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Chelsea Gray came up big with 14 points and 7 dimes. NaLyssa Smith rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 points and made key defensive plays late, including a clutch block in the final minutes.
Photo credit: Maava Lerma
The Aces looked in control early, building double digit leads in both the first and second quarters. But Chicago kept fighting back behind a huge performance from Ariel Atkins, who led all scorers with 30 points, and Kamilla Cardoso, who tallied 19 points. Angel Reese added 10 points and a game high 17 rebounds to keep the Sky within striking distance.
Chicago even took its first lead since the opening minutes late in the fourth quarter, but Gray’s clutch 3-pointer with 1:35 remaining swung the game back to Vegas for good.
The night also carried historic weight Candace Parker, who finished out her Hall of Fame career with the 2023 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, had her No. 3 jersey retired at halftime. Parker played two seasons in Chicago (2021–22), leading the Sky to their first WNBA championship in 2021.
Key Stats
Aces shot 44.8% from the field and 47.8% (11-23) from three.
Chicago was limited to 38.5% from the field and 27.8% (5-18) from deep.
The Aces forced 19 turnovers, converting them into 18 points.
Vegas defense came up with 9 steals and 5 blocks.
A’ja Wilson: Player of the Week Again
The WNBA announced Monday that A’ja Wilson was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Aug. 18–24. It’s her 27th career Player of the Week honor, tying her with Candace Parker for second-most in league history. Only Tina Charles (33) has more.
Photo credit: Maava Lerma
This marks Wilson’s fifth weekly award of the 2025 season, and her third straight after also winning on Aug. 12 and Aug. 19. She’s now tied with Nneka Ogwumike (2016) and Breanna Stewart (2023) for the second-most Player of the Week awards in a single season (5).
Wilson’s dominance last week was undeniable she led the Aces to a 3-0 record while averaging 29 points on 53.2% shooting, 12.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. She also connected on 90% of her free throws (18-20).
Up Next
The Aces (25-14) will wrap up their three game road swing in Atlanta when they face the Dream (24-13) on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 4:30 p.m. PT at Gateway Center Arena. The game will air on Vegas 34 and NBA TV.
Vegas holds a 2-0 edge in the season series against Atlanta, including a nail biting 76-74 win on Aug. 19 and an 87-72 victory on July 22. With momentum on their side, the Aces will look to make it 12 straight wins and continue building steam heading into the postseason.