Aces Get Revenge, Beat Storm 75-70

Las Vegas held off a strong rally by the Storm.

(Seattle, WA) - The Las Vegas Aces came back to Seattle with a much better performance than they gave one week ago. After being embarrassed by the Storm in their 102-82 defeat on May 25th, they came in with a better game plan. In Sunday’s game, it was the Aces who got on top of the Storm early and never relinquished the lead. Las Vegas led 27-17 at the end of the first period, and by 14 points entering the 4th quarter. The Aces were up 17 points before the Storm made a furious rally to cut the deficit down to three with 38 seconds left in the game. Seattle had an opportunity to tie the game or cut the Aces’ lead to one, but rookie Dominique Malonga’s shot fell short past A’ja Wilson. The Aces escaped Seattle with a 75-70 victory and claimed their first win in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup tournament.

It was an uncharacteristic game by both Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins. Nneka entered the 4th quarter making just two of her 11 field goal attempts. She finished the game hitting 4-13 FG and had just nine points. Diggins also struggled. Skylar made 5-15 FG and scored 11 points. She also had a team-high six turnovers and just five assists.

Gabby Williams was Seattle’s best player. She led the team with 20 points on 8-16 FG. That included four three-pointers. Gabby talked after the game about how the team is too talented defensively to give up 27 points in the first quarter. The Storm did a much better job in the 2nd half, limiting Las Vegas to 31 points total.

Surprisingly, Seattle outshot Las Vegas 43% (28-65 FG) to 42% (27-64 FG). They also had slight edges in rebounds (32-31) and assists (19-17). The Storm had significantly more second-chance points (17-7). They also had more points in the paint (30-24). But it was their turnovers that really hurt them. Diggins and Erica Wheeler combined for 11 of the team’s 19 turnovers. The Aces converted that into 21 points on the other end.

The whistle was not kind to Seattle. They had just seven free throw attempts and hit 6-7 FT. Las Vegas was a plus-five from the foul line, connecting on 11-14 FT. Coach Quinn complained about the refs during the post-game press conference and felt her team was fouled multiple times without the refs blowing their whistles.

Las Vegas Aces

The Aces did a much better job of getting A’ja Wilson involved early in this game. A’ja Wilson scored six of her 19 points in the first quarter. Jackie Young was hot early as well, tallying eight of her 12 points in the first 10 minutes as Las Vegas got out to a red-hot start. The Aces had five players score in double figures, and a sixth player (Dana Evans) added nine points. Aaliyah Nye and Evans combined for 19 of the team’s 22 bench points. A pleasant surprise for Aces’ fans who rarely see Coach Hammon utilize her team’s depth.

In Jewell Loyd’s second game back in Seattle, she played a smaller but more efficient role. She finished with 10 points on 50% FG shooting, including 2-3 FG from beyond the arc. She also had seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals. It was one of Loyd’s best games early in her Aces’ career.

Chelsea Gray did Chelsea Gray things. She led her team with six assists, including a couple of incredible dimes. She also hit a couple of clutch shots late in the game, one over 6’6” Dominique Malonga, who was playing perfect defense.

Wilson and Gray hit clutch shots in the final minutes to seal the victory for Las Vegas. Coach Quinn called it “Stars starring”. And she was right. The best players in the world score and make big plays when it matters the most. Few have ever been better than those two.

Game Breakdown

Gabby Williams knocked down a three-pointer to begin the game. The Storm got a steal, but the Aces were able to deflect it and get the ball back. A’ja Wilson scored at the short corner. Gabby got to the rim for two. Chelsea Gray countered with a three. Then Wilson made another jumper. The Aces would score five more points, two from Kiah Stokes and a three-ball from Jackie Young. That capped off a 10-0 run and forced Coach Noelle Quinn to call a timeout with the Aces leading 12-5.

Out of the timeout, Nneka Ogwumike scored in the paint and then Seattle got a steal that led to a fast break layup for Skylar Diggins. Nneka got a huge block on Wilson, but Skylar wasn’t able to convert. Then A’ja was able to beat the defense down the court for two. Ogwumike cut the Storm’s deficit to three on a spot-up jumper. Jackie Young was fouled by Skylar on a three-point attempt and made two of three as the Aces extended their lead to 16-11. Young then scored on an AND1 after being fouled by Dominique Malonga to put the Aces up eight.

Aaliyah Nye got to the basket. Ezi Magbegor was able to score on a hook in the paint after grabbing the offensive rebound. Dana Evans hit a three-pointer and scored an AND1 in the final seconds. Las Vegas led 27-17 at the end of the first quarter.

Dana Evans hit another three-pointer to give her nine points off the bench. Chelsea Gray was then fouled and made both free throws to put the Aces up 15. Gabby Williams stopped the bleeding with an impressive off-balanced shot from the baseline. Alysha Clark drilled a three-pointer, but Jewell Loyd countered it on the other end. Gabby Williams hit a corner three in transition, which forced Coach Becky Hammon to call a timeout.

Out of the timeout, Jewell made another three-pointer to extend the Aces' lead to 38-25. Ezi Magbegor scored down low in the paint on the mismatch against Loyd. Gabby Williams drilled her third three-pointer of the first half. The Aces ended the 2nd quarter on a 6-2 run with baskets from Wilson and Young. Las Vegas led Seattle 44-32 at the midway point.

Gabby Williams knocked down her 4th three-pointer of the game early in the 2nd quarter. Skylar Diggins then made back-to-back baskets, including a difficult layup over Kiah Stokes and an AND1 against Jewell. Seattle started the third period on an 8-0 run to cut the Aces’ lead down from 12 to four. This forced Becky Hammon to call another timeout.

Jewell Loyd ended Seattle’s run with a floater in the lane and was fouled. A’ja Wilson scored in the lane to put Las Vegas back up eight at 48-40. Another unforced turnover by Seattle led to another basket from Wilson. Ezi scored three in a row with a layup and split a pair of free throws. A’ja countered with a corner three. Alysha Clark was fouled and made both free throws.

Tiffany Mitchell connected on a three-pointer. Then A’ja had one of the most disrespectful blocks we’ve seen all season as she threw Gabby Williams to the floor (legally) with a huge rejection. The Aces finished the quarter on an 11-4 run to lead 61-47. They got big three-pointers from Aaliyah Nye and Tiffany Mitchell late in that run.

Nye scored an AND1 to start the 4th to put the Aces up 17 points. Dom Malonga scored two times in a row, showing off her shooting touch down low. Once A’ja Wilson went out, Malonga continued to score. She had eight quick points in the 4th quarter, forcing Coach Becky Hammon to call a timeout and sub Malonga back in.

Chelsea Gray was also subbed in and drilled a corner three to put the Aces back up 14. Erica Wheeler, who took a couple of physical hits in the quarter, was able to hit a three and then score in transition to cut the deficit back down to single digits.

Malonga made two great defensive plays against both Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson, but both Aces’ players made their shots. Despite trailing by 11, the Storm battled back with back-to-back triples from Nneka Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler.

Gabby Williams then got to the rim for two. Seattle got within three and then got a huge defensive stop as they forced Las Vegas into a shot-clock violation. With 13 seconds left in the game, Coach Quinn called a timeout to draw up a play. The ball ended up going to Malonga, who flashed to the ball near the free throw line. She turned around and shot over A’ja Wilson. Unfortunately, the shot fell short. Coach Quinn said she felt Dom was fouled on the play and that Erica Wheeler was fouled before the ball was inbounded (it certainly looked like it). Jewell snagged the rebound and was immediately fouled with six seconds left in the game. Loyd made both, and that was the game’s final score. The Aces picked up an important win over the Storm, 75-70.

Final Box Score

Up Next

The Seattle Storm (3-4) will host the Dallas Wings (1-6) on Tuesday, June 3rd at 6:30 PM. Unfortunately, #1 overall pick Paige Bueckers will miss the game as she’s still in concussion protocol. It’ll be the Storm’s 2nd game (of 6) in the Commissioner’s Cup “tournament”.

Part 2

Part 2 will include additional thoughts, quotes, and discussion from Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces.

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