The Aces surrendered a 13-0 run early in the fourth quarter and a 6-0 run late en route to an 86-84 loss Friday night at the Phoenix Mercury.
Aces/WNBA
Liz Gambage, who has been dealing with Achilles tendinitis since the WNBA offseason, will play her first game with the Las Vegas Aces on Friday at Phoenix.
Coach Bill Laimbeer has been impressed with the guard’s maturity and patience as she adjusts to the speed and pace of the WNBA. Young scored eight points in her debut.
The 32-year-old forward started 25 of 33 games last season, but was moved to the bench to make room in the starting lineup for No. 1 overall pick Jackie Young.
The Aces cruised to an 83-70 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks in their season opener Sunday night at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The 6-foot-8-inch center suffered Achilles tendinitis during the WNBA’s offseason and has been working her way back slowly since joining the team last week.
The Las Vegas players were the past three No. 1 overall picks in the WNBA draft. The three, along with Kayla McBride and Liz Cambage, comprise the team’s nucleus.
The team opens its second season in Las Vegas as the betting favorite to win the WNBA championship. Here are five games to watch that could determine its fate.
The defending champion Seattle Storm lost league MVP Breanna Stewart to an Achilles injury, and star guard Sue Bird might miss the season after undergoing knee surgery.
The WNBA team starts its second season in Las Vegas on Sunday when it hosts the Los Angeles Sparks at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The Aces finished their first season in Las Vegas with a 14-20 record. They open their second season as the betting favorite to win the league championship.
The Aces waived second-year wing Jaime Nared and sixth-year center Kelsey Bone on Thursday and will break training camp with 11 players, one shy of the roster limit.
The 27-year-old center worked with a variety of lineup combinations, but mostly teamed with projected starters A’ja Wilson, Kayla McBride, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young.
The game offers Las Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer a chance to evaluate his team against another team. The Aces are carrying 15 players, three over the regular-season limit.
The 6-foot-8-inch Australian averaged a league-high 23.0 points and 9.7 rebounds, second in the league, last season. She’s considered the WNBA’s best post player.