Aces Take Down Dream 81-75, Tie Franchise Winning Streak with 12 Straight
The Las Vegas Aces just keep rolling. Behind a dominant third quarter surge and another MVP level performance from A’ja Wilson, the Aces took down the Atlanta Dream 81-75 on the road Wednesday night, tying a franchise record with their 12th straight win.
Wilson was unstoppable once again, dropping a game high 34 points along with 9 rebounds. It was her league leading 11th 30-point game this season and the 35th of her career, moving her to No. 2 all time in WNBA history. Jackie Young stuffed the stat sheet with her second triple-double of the year 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists becoming the only player in franchise history with multiple triple-doubles in an Aces uniform. Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd each added 14, with Loyd once again proving to be a huge spark off the bench.
The game was tight through the first half, with Atlanta holding a 42-40 edge at the break. But the third quarter completely flipped when the Aces ripped off a 15-0 run to close the frame, fueled by back to back threes from Wilson and big shots from both Loyd and Gray. That run gave Las Vegas the breathing room they needed, and even though the Dream fought back late, the Aces never lost their composure.
Brionna Jones and Rhyne Howard paced Atlanta with 19 points each, while Allisha Gray chipped in 15.
Breaking Down the Win
Wilson’s Historic Night: A’ja Wilson’s 34-point outing wasn’t just another big game it was her 11th 30 point performance this season, the most in the league, and her 35th of her career. That puts her second all time behind Diana Taurasi (54). She also continued her climb up the record books, moving into the top 10 for career free throws made and the top 20 for career rebounds.
Jackie Young’s Triple-Double: Young recorded her second triple-double of the season (10 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists), making her the only player in franchise history to have multiple triple-doubles in an Aces uniform. Her ability to control the glass, push the pace, and create for others completely shifted momentum in the second half.
Jewell Loyd the X-Factor: Coming off the bench, Loyd poured in 14 points, outscoring Atlanta’s entire second unit (14-10). She also reached career milestones now just 21 points shy of 6,000 career points and closing in on the top 15 all-time in free throws made.
Defensive Third Quarter: The Aces 15-0 run late in the third was fueled by defense. They held the Dream to just 2-of-19 shooting (0-of-7 from three) in the quarter while forcing tough looks possession after possession. That defensive lockdown flipped the game.
Taking Care of the Ball: Las Vegas only turned the ball over 7 times, giving up just 7 points, while converting Atlanta’s 10 turnovers into 16 points on the other end. In a close road game, that efficiency made all the difference.
What’s Next
With this win, the Aces have now tied the franchise record for longest winning streak at 12 games, first set back in 2012. They’ll have a week off before returning to action at T-Mobile Arena for a massive showdown against the league leading Minnesota Lynx (30-7) on Sept. 4.
History is on the line and this team looks ready for the moment.