LAS VEGAS -- After being named Western Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time this season, and 26th time in her career, plus knocking off a couple more milestones for her already highly decorated career, A'ja Wilson had something bigger to celebrate Tuesday night.
The reigning MVP had 32 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks on her mother Eva's birthday, to lead the Las Vegas Aces to their eighth straight victory, a 74-72 decision over the Atlanta Dream.
Wilson scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Aces overcome a 10-point deficit with 8:44 left in the game, including a patented 12-foot fadeaway with a little more than a minute left to put the Aces ahead for good.
Jackie Young added 16 points and Chelsea Gray chipped in with eight points, seven rebounds and 11 assists for the Aces (22-14).
There were 15 lead changes and nine ties in the game.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
THE R'UN CONTINUES
Wilson secured her 116th career double-double, and 33rd with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. The 29-year-old turned in her eighth 30-point double-double of the season, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 total rebounds. During the team's eight-game win streak, Wilson is averaging league highs with 26.9 pts and 13.1 rebounds. During the stretch, she's also averaging a league-second-highest 1.9 blocks. During the game, Wilson became the youngest and fastest WNBA player to score 5,500 points with her 16th point, while also becoming the youngest and fastest player in WNBA history to reach 2,000 career made field goals.
VINTAGE GRAY
Gray’s performance was crucial to the Aces’ success over the Dream, as her late-season surge continued. Gray's chemistry with her teammates has not only been prevalent with the way she moves the ball and leads the offense, but her defensive intensity was on full display, including a critical steal late in the game when she swiped the ball from Brittney Griner with 2:14 under Atlanta's basket. During the team's eight-game run, Gray has a +2.81 assist-to-turnover ratio and ranks second in the WNBA with 7.4 assists per game.
"I think she looks like herself," Aces coach Becky Hammon said. "She looked different at the beginning of the season because she wasn't being Chelsea Gray. She looks like Chelsea Gray now."
ROAD WARRIORS
Next up for the Aces is the Phoenix Mercury (21-13), as the team will battle for sole possession of fourth place in the league standings on Thursday. Phoenix, which beat the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco on Thursday night, has lost its last two to the Aces after it won the first meeting of the season in Las Vegas. The road team in the Aces-Mercury is 3-0 this season, and 6-0 dating back to May 21, 2024.