The Las Vegas Aces defeated Chicago 95-83 in a Thursday night game, led by A’ja Wilson’s 31 points, Jackie Young’s 22, and Kelsey Plum’s 21. Despite Angel Reese of the Sky achieving her ninth consecutive double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, the Aces prevailed. Reese’s feat tied Candace Parker’s record for the WNBA’s longest streak of double-doubles in a single season, matching Parker’s 2015 achievement and extending across two seasons from 2009 to 2010.
Wilson dominated with 15 points in the first quarter, Young contributed 12 in the third, and Plum added 16 in the fourth. This marked Wilson’s 18th career game scoring 30 or more points and her 12th game this season with at least 25 points. Chelsea Gray, returning from injury for her third game, had a solid performance with eight points, six rebounds, and five assists, coinciding with the Aces’ current three-game winning streak. Kiah Stokes led Las Vegas with six of their 11 blocks, as they made more three-pointers and nine additional free throws than Chicago.
Marina Mabrey led the Sky with 21 points, but her impact waned after a strong first quarter where she scored 13 points. Chennedy Carter contributed 20 points overall. Las Vegas surged in the fourth quarter with Kelsey Plum scoring the first seven points to widen their lead to 79-63. Angel Reese managed nine points in the quarter to maintain a competitive stance for Chicago, who had won their previous two games.
In the first half, Mabrey’s early scoring helped Chicago to a 25-21 lead after the first quarter. Jackie Young, initially scoreless, added eight points in the second quarter as the Aces outscored the Sky 25-14 to take a 46-39 halftime lead. A’ja Wilson had 23 points by halftime, continuing her streak of scoring 20 or more points in consecutive regular-season games. Chicago shot 58% in the first quarter but dropped to 29% in the second.
The Sky briefly surged ahead in the third quarter with seven consecutive points, including five from Mabrey, to tie the game and briefly take the lead at 61-60 on a shot by Kamilla Cardoso. However, Las Vegas closed the quarter with a run that extended their lead to 72-63 heading into the fourth quarter, setting the stage for their eventual victory.
