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The Las Vegas Aces beat the Atlanta Dream 81-75 Wednesday, tying a franchise report with their twelfth victory in a row and shifting into second place within the WNBA standings.
As has been the case all through their red-hot August run, the Aces have been led by A’ja Wilson with 34 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. Teammate Jackie Younger had her second triple-double of the season with 10 factors, 10 assists and 11 rebounds.
The Aces turned the tenth WNBA staff to win at the least a dozen video games in a row in a season. That features the 2000 Los Angeles Sparks, who went 28-4 and had two 12-game profitable streaks that yr.
The Las Vegas franchise additionally had a 12-game profitable streak in 2012, when the staff was nonetheless in San Antonio because the Silver Stars. Present Aces coach Becky Hammon was a starter on that San Antonio staff, however mentioned Wednesday she did not recall that streak, which spanned June 24 to Aug. 21, 2012. The Silver Stars completed 21-13 that season.
However of her 2025 Aces, who throughout July have been battling to keep up a .500 report, Hammon mentioned, “They’re making their presence felt.”
Wilson now has 11 video games of 30 or extra factors this season, tying her profession finest set final yr, when she received her third MVP award. The WNBA season report is 12 30-plus video games, achieved by Wilson’s Aces teammate Jewell Loyd in 2023, when she performed for Seattle, and the Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore in 2014.
In keeping with ESPN Analysis, Wilson has the WNBA report for many video games in a season with 30 or extra factors whereas taking pictures 60% or higher from the sphere. This was her sixth such recreation, breaking a tie with Houston’s Cynthia Cooper, who had 5 in 1997, the WNBA’s inaugural season.
“I attempt to make my exercises and my practices very game-like, so it is acquainted,” Wilson mentioned about her effectivity. “I can work out how you can get to my spots and be productive for my staff. That comes from understanding who I’m and the place I wish to go.”
Wilson was 13-of-21 from the sphere Wednesday in Atlanta, together with tying her season-high with two 3-pointers.
Wilson joked after the sport, “Do not name me Curry,” in reference to NBA 3-point legend Stephen Curry. However her two long-range photographs actually have been big in turning the sport within the Aces’ favor. With the rating tied 48-48 with 2:55 left within the third quarter, Wilson hit the primary of back-to-back 3’s, then made a 10-footer for her personal 8-0 run. Loyd closed out the quarter scoring 5 extra factors for a 61-48 lead.
The Aces held off the Dream’s comeback try within the fourth quarter, with Loyd and Chelsea Grey each hitting clutch 3-pointers within the closing minute.
Now 26-14 this season, the Aces are 15-3 for the reason that All-Star break and completed 12-1 in August. They’ve 4 video games left within the common season, together with three at dwelling, and do not play once more till Sept. 4. All eyes can be on that matchup in opposition to the first-place Lynx (30-7) in Las Vegas.
“That is our eighth recreation in 15 days; I used to be very involved with our legs coming into this recreation,” mentioned Hammon, whose staff performed its previous three on the street. “While you speak about gears and that means to kick it up an additional notch, we actually have been in a position to do this on the defensive finish. And it is profitable us video games. Simply actually certainly one of our high quality staff wins tonight: gut-check, resiliency, toughness.”
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