FOX5: LAS VEGAS, Nev. This week, the Las Vegas Aces (10-6) will play back-to-back home games. Their first matchup will be on Tuesday, July 2, at T-Mobile Arena versus Indiana (8-12). The game is scheduled to tip at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time, and ESPN will broadcast it nationally.
After defeating the Washington Mystics 88-77 on the road on Saturday afternoon, the Aces enter the week with the longest active winning streak in the league at four games. Las Vegas is back in fifth place in the standings and two games closer to first than they were two weeks ago, having won all four of the team’s games by double digits.
Even though leading M’VP contender A’ja Wilson’s WNBA record string of straight games with at least 20 points scored came to an end, Las Vegas continued to roll on Saturday. The Mystics were only able to muster 8 points in the fourth quarter thanks in large part to the Aces’ formidable defense, which was led by Jackie Young (26 points), Chelsea Gray (22 points), and Tiffany Hayes (17 points).
In addition to continuing to lead the WNBA in scoring (26.7 ppg), Wilson also ranks second in the league in blocks (2.31 bpg), steals (1.88 spg) and field goal percentage (.511). If Wilson continues to produce at her present rate, her scoring average would surpass 18-year-old Diana Taurasi’s record of 25.3 points per game. Wilson is likely to become a six-time All-Star.
In terms of scoring and assists, Young (18.9 ppg, 5.4 apg) and Plum (17.3 ppg, 5.1 apg) are ranked seventh and eleventh in the league, respectively.
After returning to the starting lineup for the first four games, Point Gawd has averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and just one turnover in her past two games. She has also made 11 of her 14 field goals and all five of her free throws.
The Fever, who have won seven of their previous eleven games, defeated the Phoenix Mercury 88-82 on Sunday to earn their first victory over a team with a winning record.
Averaging 16.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game, rookie Caitlin Clark has made headlines, but she is also committing a league-high 5.6 turnovers per game. With 39.7% of her 3-pointers made, Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever in scoring (16.3 ppg) and is still one of the top shooters in the game. For Indiana, Aliyah Boston (13.1 ppg) and NaLyssa Smith (11.8 ppg) are both scoring double digits on average.
Thanks in part to their fourth-best 3-point shooting percentage (.354) in the league, the Fever’s offensive efficiency has increased to 100.5 points per 100 possessions, placing them sixth in the league.
The Fever’s defense, which gives up a WNBA-high 108.9 points per 100 possessions, is another story. It’s a persistent problem for a team that, since Tamika Catchings retired in 2017, has consistently placed worst or second to last in the league in defensive effectiveness. Against the Fever, Indiana’s opponents are converting 35.8% of their 3-point tries and 44.9% of their field goal attempts. Moreover, Indianapolis allows more points than any other club in the league from the free throw line.