The Las Vegas Aces have been the WNBA’s most consistent team so far this season.
The Aces (12-2) sit atop the standings and have already clinched the Western Conference’s spot in the midseason Commissioner’s Cup championship game on July 26. Las Vegas secured that spot with a 92-84 victory against the host Dallas Wings on Wednesday night.
Five players are scoring in double figures for the Aces’ balanced attack, led by Kelsey Plum with 20.1 points and a team-high 5.9 assists per game. A’ja Wilson averages 18.1 points and a team-high 9.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks and Jackie Young contributes 18.3 points and a team-high 1.6 steals per game.
On the complete opposite end of the standings, the Minnesota Lynx (3-12) are a far cry from the team that won four WNBA titles from 2011-17.
Minnesota has dropped four straight and six of its last seven. The Lynx fell short in an 81-79 home loss on Tuesday against the Seattle Storm.
A loss is a loss, but forward Aerial Powers is convinced that the narrow defeat is a step in the right direction.
“It sucks,” Powers said to Winsidr. “It’s like, are we getting there yet? But I feel like chemistry is being found within our team. That was tough. We fought our [rears] off; we just have to be better. I do feel like we came together as a team today.”
Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve agrees with Powers’ opinion and wants to see the effort continue.
“It’s not that we haven’t done it in the other games, but it’s been a struggle to get this out of them,” Reeve said. “We expect this from them all the time.”
The Aces defeated the visiting Lynx 93-87 in the first meeting this season on May 19. Powers had 25 points to lead Minnesota and Young scored 25 to lead Las Vegas.
