3 takeaways from Aces’ win: Wilson sets record as streak hits 14 — PHOTOS
In honor of reigning MVP A’ja Wilson’s dominance this season, Becky Hammon wore a pink wig and an “MIVP” hoodie to address reporters before the Aces took the court against the Chicago Sky on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.
“I’m just here to have a little A’ja Wilson day,” Hammon said. “Remind everybody who the best player in the world is.”
The display aligned with an ongoing campaign for Wilson to win what would be a league-record fourth WNBA MVP award.
In turn, Wilson led the Aces (28-14) to their 14th straight win with a record-breaking performance.
She scored 31 points as the Aces beat the Sky 80-66, setting a league record with 13 30-point games this season. The mark passed Jewell Loyd and Maya Moore for the most such performances in WNBA history.
Guard Jackie Young added 20 points and point guard Chelsea Gray scored 13. Despite having a 25-point lead in the third quarter and never trailing, Hammon didn’t pull her starters until the final two minutes of the game.
“The score does not matter, even against our buddies,” Hammon said of the decision. “We just have to be about getting better every time. Now’s the time we’re really trying to push and squeeze everything we can out.”
Hammon offered a similar message after the Aces beat the Sky 79-74 last month to clinch a playoff spot, and now her team sits at No. 2 in the WNBA standings with two games remaining in the regular season.
With former Aces assistant Tyler Marsh at the helm, Michaela Onyenwere and Rachel Banham recorded a team-high 12 points each for the Sky (10-32).
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. Wilson, gazelle and lion
Wilson also had 11 rebounds for her 10th double-double with at least 30 points this season, while no other player in the league has more than one such performance this year. She added four steals and three blocks, marking her fourth straight season with at least 50 steals and 70 blocks. She’s the only player to record those numbers in more than two seasons.
“Some players in this league, they’re like a deer. They’re quick, they’re nimble, they’re very agile. Then, you’ve got lions. They can just physically dominate you,” Hammon said. “(Wilson’s) the only person in the gym in this world that is both lion and gazelle. She’s both. She can dance around you or she can eat you up and physically dominate you.”
Although Hammon sees her as both, Wilson would rather be a gazelle in a game.
“I love my gazelle days a lot more — when you are the hunted, when people are giving you their best. Because that’s how you become great,” Wilson said. “Those days where you have to grind it out, where it’s tough and you can still come out on top: Those are the wins and the games that I love. Even if we lose, I’m like, ‘Did we fight? Did we punch back?’ ”
2. Young schools former teacher
Young continues to quietly stack some of the best performances of her career, with Sunday marking back-to-back 20-point efforts.
Marsh, whom Young has credited for developing her as a scorer during his time with the Aces, mentioned pregame that Young led the Aces with 18 points in the last meeting between the teams and he hoped to avoid that outcome.
But as the Aces started on an 11-0 run, it was clear that Young would be a problem. After scoring on a three-point play with 6:21 remaining in the first half, she was already 4-of-4 from the field in the first half.
She also appeared to direct some words toward Marsh after one of her early 3-pointers.
“Everybody knows that’s my guy. And so I was just having fun, talking a little bit of trash,” Young said. “He taught me a lot, so I like to use the things that he taught me against him.”
3. NaLyssa Smith, Angel Reese out
The Aces were without forward NaLyssa Smith, who was ruled out Saturday due to the concussion protocol after she went down in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s win over the Minnesota Lynx.
Center Megan Gustafson got her first start of the season in Smith’s absence. Gustafson finished with four points. Center Kiah Stokes recorded two points and two rebounds in 14 minutes. Without the scoring threat from Smith, Hammon played with lineups that still included Wilson and other guards.
“Everybody was in the rotation tonight with the bigs,” Hammon said. “I like the versatility and different looks that we can put out there.”
Sky star Angel Reese was suspended for the first half due to comments deemed “detrimental” to the team. At halftime, the Sky announced the second-year forward was ruled out for the entire game, citing her back.
The Aces will face the Sky again on Tuesday, and Marsh did not give any indication postgame regarding whether Reese will play.
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
