LAS VEGAS -- A’ja Wilson finished with a game-high 29 points and nine rebounds, carrying the Aces to an 84-71 win over the Sun on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Holding a big lead with less than three minutes to play, Wilson needed just one bucket to become the first WNBA player to reach 1,000 points in a season. With everyone in Michelob Ultra Arena on their feet and holding up two fingers, her teammates were force feeding her the ball.
Wilson caught it at the top of the key and took two dribbles before she pulled up over Brionna Jones and DeWanna Bonner at the elbow, fading away to once again rewrite basketball history.
The bench exploded with jubilation and soon after, Wilson was able to fully embrace the moment during an Aces timeout and a standing ovation.
“I was not expecting my teammates to bum rush me on the court,” Wilson said. “But that’s who they are and that’s the reason I love them so much.”
While she’s made a habit of breaking records, Wilson and her family are intentional about cherishing each moment.
“It was just experiencing life and not taking anything for granted,” Wilson said. “That was so key to me because we sometimes get lost in the sauce in life and lose out on the little wins.
“That's the biggest thing that we as a family focused on…love on the moment because they don’t come by often.”
The Aces have now won seven of their last eight games, turning around a season that was marked by inconsistency. With the win, they move within two games of the Sun for the No. 3 seed, and remain a game ahead of the Storm who’ve won four of their last five.
While Wilson’s milestone was the focus for most, the Aces’ team performance allowed for a happy celebration. After a fast-paced first half with a playoff atmosphere, the Aces took an 8-point lead into the break before blowing it open in the third quarter, outscoring the Sun 23-11 and taking a 71-51 lead into the fourth.
The Aces shot 49.3% from the field and 41.7% from deep, an encouraging sign considering some of their recent shooting struggles.
Kelsey Plum contributed 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting after her first points didn’t come until there were less than three minutes left in the second quarter. Chelsea Gray added nine points, three assists, and two steals, posting a team high +22 +/- in 25 minutes.
After missing 12 games this season due to injury, Gray has found her rhythm at the perfect time for the Aces, who will need her on both ends in the playoffs. Despite just 3 assists on Sunday, the passing was on display and she was robbed of a highlight when her behind-the-back dime resulted in a missed layup.
Jackie Young looked back to her all-star self after shooting 20% from the 3-point line in the past five games. She was 3-of-7 from deep and flirted with a triple double, posting 13 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.
Jones led the way for Connecticut with 17 points and nine rebounds, but the Sun couldn’t keep up with the Aces’ second-half onslaught.
Coach Becky Hammon acknowledged that getting Young involved early was intentional, as she hit back-to-back threes to open the game.
“First play of the game I tried to get her going early,” Hammon said. “People are going under screens a lot so we’re just trying to lower screens, that way it’s crystal clear and she's got space to pull up and shoot.
“I thought she had a very solid game all around, offensively and defensively. It was nice to see the ball go in for her, especially from three, she’s been struggling a little bit there.”
With just two games left in the regular season, the Aces seem to be peaking at the right time.
“We’re starting to play Aces basketball and get back to playing how we want to play, and we’re winning games,” Young said. “The biggest thing is our defense, we’ve been able to take care of that every night.
“We know we can score the ball but just being locked in on the defensive end, executing the defensive schemes is the biggest thing for us. I think whenever we’re locked in on defense we’re able to get going in the opposite direction in transition.”
The Aces will travel to Seattle to face the Storm on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in their second-to-last game of the regular season.