The defending champion Las Vegas Aces are gearing up for a marquee WNBA matchup Tuesday night, hosting Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream. This isn’t just another game; it’s a chance for the Aces to complete a season sweep against Atlanta, but they’re coming off a shocking 92-87 loss to Minnesota on Saturday, snapping a two-game winning streak.
A’ja Wilson is a Monster, But Her Team Needs to Show Up
Listen, you absolutely cannot blame four-time MVP A’ja Wilson for that loss to Minnesota. She went OFF for 32 points, shooting 10-for-15 from the field and a ridiculous 11-for-12 from the free throw line. That’s pure dominance! But here’s the kicker: she got zero help.
Guard Jackie Young, who’s second on the team averaging 18.4 PPG, was held to a dismal 8 points on just 3-for-11 shooting. That’s only the fifth time this year she’s been stuck in single digits, and it clearly hurt. Coach Becky Hammon didn’t mince words after the game, telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “Our offensive woes gave us defensive woes. We got to get better guard play. If we have to match up with them again, we’ll do some things differently.”
Wilson is still leading the league in scoring with 26.1 PPG and just hit 600 career blocks on Sunday, leading the league at 2.0 blocks per game. She’s basically a lock for her record fifth MVP, priced as the -1000 favorite. She’s also a serious contender for Defensive Player of the Year, currently the +220 second-favorite behind Golden State’s Gabby Williams. She’s doing it all.
The Playoff Picture Is Set, But the Aces Want More
With most teams down to their last 8-10 regular season games, the Aces have already clinched a playoff spot. They’re sitting third in the overall WNBA standings at 24-12, and it’s looking good for home-court advantage in the first round. They’re probably not catching Minnesota for the No. 1 seed, but grabbing the second seed from Golden State is still on the table.
The defending champs are the +450 second favorite to repeat, right behind the Minnesota Lynx (-105). A Minnesota-Las Vegas finals matchup is priced at +290. If they can hold their 1st and 3rd seeds, that’s exactly where they’ll meet. But after that loss to Minnesota where they were rare home dogs, dropping it 92-87, the Aces need to clean things up big time if they want to make that rematch happen.
So, buckle up for Tuesday’s 9 ET tip-off on ESPN. The Aces need to show they can bounce back, especially with Angel Reese and the Dream coming to town. A season sweep would be huge, but more importantly, the Aces need to prove they have the guard play Coach Hammon is calling for. This is where they prove if they’re still the championship team everyone expects.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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