3 takeaways from Aces’ win: All-Star duo shines against Sparks
Becky Hammon called the Los Angeles Sparks the “hottest team” in the WNBA before her Aces played them at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
The compliment made sense. The Sparks had the league’s longest active winning streak at five games. They had four players averaging 10 or more points per game, with two of them being former Aces Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum.
But Los Angeles looked like it didn’t belong in the same league Tuesday night. The Aces grabbed a 17-point lead 7:20 into the game and never looked back in an 89-74 win, their second straight.
Hammon hopes the team’s momentum can continue.
“These last couple games, we’ve looked more like what I’ve expected us to look like,” Hammon said. “It’s taken longer than what I thought it would. However, I’m happy that it’s arriving.”
Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led the Aces (14-13) with 34 points and 10 rebounds
Jackie Young recorded 18 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the first triple-double of her career.
Plum had 22 points for the Sparks (11-15), while Rae Burrell added 17 points off the bench. Hamby scored 15 points.
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. Wilson, Young shine
Wilson made her first 10 shots from the field. She had 17 points in the first quarter, while Los Angeles had 18.
Wilson now has 21 games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in her career, the most in NBA history.
Young had an achievement of her own to celebrate. The Aces entire bench rose to its feet when she shoveled the ball to Wilson for a layup with 1:23 remaining for her 10th assist of the game.
Hammon said a lot of the two All-Stars’ success this season is due to how well they work together.
“They’re really tough in a pick and roll. They’ve kind of fed off each other. I’m putting them in a lot of actions with each other,” Hammon said. “I don’t think it’s coincidental that they have big nights because it’s a this or that scenario. … We’re certainly very good when they have big nights.”
2. Loyd comes off bench again
Forward Kierstan Bell made her second straight start in place of guard Jewell Loyd.
Loyd, who the Aces acquired from the Seattle Storm in a blockbuster trade that sent Plum to the Sparks, was moved to the bench after going scoreless in a loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Friday.
The team has won two straight with its new starting lineup, and Wilson said Tuesday the change has been a win for everyone.
“I think it has just helped us all across the board, when you’re talking about just the way our schemes are just flowing and the way that we just can get this spark with also having Jewell come in off our bench,” Wilson said. “It just seems like it’s just a healthy balance for us.”
Wilson said she has the “utmost respect” for Loyd making the adjustment for the team and Bell for taking advantage of the opportunity.
3. Brink returns
Cameron Brink made her season debut for the Sparks with 2:39 remaining in the first quarter after being sidelined for 13 months with a torn ACL.
Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, was averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks before going down with the injury last June, just 15 games into her rookie campaign.
She finished with five points in 14 minutes in her return.
Hammon, who suffered an ACL tear during her WNBA playing career, praised Brink for her comeback.
“I’m glad she was out of minutes restriction, because I thought she did well when she got in there,” Hammon said. “So kudos to her. … It takes a lot of hard work to get back out on that floor.”
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.