The Las Vegas Aces notched an 86-69 victory over the Toronto Tempo in Vancouver on Sunday, locking down their mission to protect playoff seeding. But let’s be real, that scoreboard looks like nothing but a cruel joke right now, because the win came with a catastrophic loss in the third quarter when NaLyssa Smith went down clutching her left knee. This wasn’t some minor tweak; her knee buckled hard after she came down from catching a high pass, and she left the court unable to put any weight on that left leg. Her long-term status? Totally unknown, and the Aces weren’t giving up any updates after the game. A black cloud is definitely hanging over their heads today.
A Sister Down, But A’ja Still Dominates
You just hate to see it. “The emotions are what they’re going to be but, obviously, when you lose a sister to an injury. You never want to see that happen to anyone,” A’ja Wilson lamented after the final buzzer. “Lyss is a soldier. God has his hands on her and we’re going to continue to be beside her through this whole process.” Even with that heartbreak, Wilson showed up and absolutely balled out, which is just insane to think about. Not only did she continue her usual dominance, but the four-time MVP almost bagged a triple-double, leading the Aces with 27 points and adding seven assists and seven rebounds. She hit some wild milestones too, now with the second-most 20+ point games in WNBA history and 100 games with 25+ points. Oh, and she did all that while questionable with a back injury heading into the game. “It’s not bad,” Wilson said about her performance. “The medical team made sure that I was feeling pretty good. Right now, I just got to continue to get into rest and recovery mode. It’s not the best, but they made sure I was ready for this game, and I’m glad that I was able to show up for my teammates today.” Jackie Young was also a force, dropping 21 points, five assists, and three rebounds.
Relentless Defense Made the Difference
While the Tempo tried to stick around, the Aces’ defense just wouldn’t let them get comfortable. This team knows how to disrupt momentum, racking up 11 steals and forcing 15 turnovers from the Tempo. What’s even better is that everyone got involved. Four players, including Wilson, Smith before her injury, Stephanie Talbot, and Mai Yamamoto, each snagged two steals. Coach Becky Hammon, who’s always preaching team defense, definitely noticed. “We just got to continue to execute at a high level,” Hammon said. “That’s what I’m concerned with is…making sure the effort’s there. The consistency is there. We have our goals, they know the goals. They reached a couple of them today, so that’s what we’re going to keep doing.” The Tempo kept it tight in the first half, but the Aces just clicked into another gear in the second, opening up that sizable lead thanks to Wilson and Young.
But the question remains: what does Smith’s long-term status mean for a team trying to protect its playoff seeding? That 86-69 win might feel hollow when the future of a key player hangs in the balance.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply