The Las Vegas Aces (5-4) are back at Michelob Ultra Arena for Father’s Day, looking to build on their recent last-minute comeback win against the Dallas Wings. They will face off against the Phoenix Mercury (7-4) in another Commissioners Cup matchup.
After a challenging stretch where the Aces lost back-to-back games while allowing over 190 points, they found some positivity with their win over Dallas on Friday. The team aims to improve their defense and reduce turnovers; in the game against Dallas, they recorded a total of 17 turnovers, including 10 in just the third quarter. Las Vegas will also be without A’ja Wilson for the second consecutive game due to concussion protocol.
On the other hand, the Mercury enter the game with momentum, currently sitting second in the Western Conference. They are coming off a 93-80 victory last Wednesday against the Dallas Wings. In her first season with the team, Satou Sabally leads the Mercury with impressive averages of 20.5 points per game, which is 5th in the WNBA, (PPG), 7.8 rebounds per game (RPG), and 2.9 assists per game (APG), all of which are team highs.
Recap of todays game:
With A’ja Wilson sidelined, Chelsea Gray emerged as a key player for the Aces, leading the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Jewell Loyd contributed 17 points, while Jackie Young added 15.
The game was a back-and-forth scoring contest, but ultimately, the Aces fell short, losing 76-70. The team struggled with depth scoring, as only Loyd, Gray, and Young reached double digits in points. Once again, the Aces faced challenges with ball security, committing a total of 22 turnovers. The Mercury capitalized on this, scoring 22 points off those turnovers, which was double the Aces’ total.
Mercury forward Satou Sabally had an impressive performance, putting up 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds. The team also received valuable contributions from Sami Whitcomb off the bench, who scored 18 points.
Post game Becky Hammon and Chelsea Gray addressed the turnover issues in todays game.
Next, the Aces will hit the road to take on the top team in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Lynx, this Tuesday at the Target Center.
Make sure to stay tuned on Vegas Sports Today for all Aces coverage.
