A’ja Wilson scores 30 points as the Las Vegas Aces hand the Chicago Sky a seventh-straight loss

By CNN Newsource

Published September 4, 2024 3:00 AM

By George Ramsay, CNN

(CNN) — A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray both posted double-doubles as the Las Vegas Aces condemned the Chicago Sky to a 90-71 loss on Tuesday, their seventh consecutive defeat in the WNBA.

Wilson’s hot streak continued as she scored 30 points at T-Mobile Arena – her third game with 30+ in the past four – to go along with 14 rebounds and two steals, while Gray ended the night with 13 points, 10 assists and three steals for the two-time defending champions.

Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes also scored in double digits to help the Aces to a third straight win, improving to 21-12 on the season.

The result, combined with the Phoenix Mercury’s 74-66 win over the Atlanta Dream, ensured that the Mercury and Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever qualified for the WNBA playoffs.

“We love being around each other, but it’s not that fun when you’re not winning basketball games and enjoying doing it on and off the court,” Gray told reporters. “We’re starting to feel that we have that intensity on the court so we can enjoy those moments.”

More than 18,000 fans watched Tuesday’s game, which had been moved from the Aces’ usual home venue at Mandalay Bay to the T-Mobile Arena, and the attendance was the second-highest for a home fixture in franchise history, according to AP.

A 13-point run at the start of the second quarter saw the Aces open up a healthy lead, which had grown to 16 points by the end of the first half.

The Sky, desperate to stop a winless run in order to make the playoffs, did close the gap to 10 in the fourth, but Wilson ensured that the Aces’ lead remained intact with 15 of her 30 points coming in the final frame.

Michaela Onyenwere posted 15 points for Chicago, while Angel Reese had 12 points and 16 rebounds. The team’s winless run stretches back to August 17, with a home game against the struggling Los Angeles Sparks (7-25) up next on Friday.

Elsewhere, Phoenix clinched a 14^th postseason appearance in the last 16 seasons with its win against the Dream, which shares the same 11-22 record as the Sky.

Kahleah Copper scored a team-high 28 points, while Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner both hit crucial three pointers late on to hold off a third-quarter comeback attempt from Atlanta and lift the Mercury into the postseason.