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WNBA Las Vegas Aces

Aces Return Home to Take on Seattle, Friday, in Game Two of Commissioner's Cup

June 6, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release


LAS VEGAS - The Las Vegas Aces return home Friday, June 7, to take on the Seattle Storm in their second Commissioner's Cup game of the season. Tip is slated for 7:00 pm PT, and the game is being broadcast on ION.

The Aces have partnered with Reproductive Freedom For All Nevada for the Commissioner's Cup in 2024, and have already raised $3,000 to assist with the group's mission of building grassroots and political power to engage and mobilize communities, lobby state lawmakers and advocate for reproductive freedom in the Silver State.

Las Vegas improved to 5-2 on the season and 1-0 in Commissioner's Cup play Wednesday evening with its 95-81 road win over the Dallas Wings (box score/recap). A'ja Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to record a game of at least 35 points, 10 rebounds and 5 steals (36 pts, 12 rebs, 6 stls) in the win, and now leads the league in scoring averaging 27.9 points per game. The two-time M'VP is also the leading rebounder in the league (12.4 rpg), and ranks first in blocks per game (3.0) and sixth in steals per game (2.0).

Jackie Young added 20 points in the win over Dallas, and is sixth in the league in scoring (20.4 ppg), while Kelsey Plum netted 19, and is 10th in the league (18.9 ppg). Those three players are the primary reason why the Aces rank second in the WNBA in offensive efficiency, as they average 106.4 points per 100 possessions. In addition to ranking third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.337), and first in free throw percentage (.848), Las Vegas is the best in the league at taking care of the basketball, committing a turnover on just 14.3 percent of their possessions.

On the other side of the ball, the Aces have improved to sixth in the league in defensive efficiency allowing opponents to score 97.6 points per 100 possessions. Las Vegas is the best defensive rebounding team in the league (.747), and sends opponents to the free throw line just 16.0 times per game (3rd lowest in the league).

After starting the year dropping 3 of 4 games, the Storm have won five-straight heading into Friday's match-up, although none of those wins have come against teams that currently boast a winning record-Indiana twice, Washington, Chicago and Phoenix.

Seattle's roster went through an overhaul in the off-season following an 11-29 2023 campaign. Jewell Loyd is still the team's primary offensive threat, averaging 19.2 points per game (8th in the league), but she is joined by free agent acquisitions Nneka Oguwmike (18.7 ppg, 11th) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (14.7 ppg). Ezi Magbegor is also averaging a career-high 14.4 points per game for the Storm. Their combined efforts have lifted Seattle from the least efficient offense in the league a year ago (96.9 OER), to the sixth most efficient in 2024.

Defensively, the Storm have improved from ninth to third in efficiency, holding opponents to just 92.3 points per 100 possessions. The opposition is making just 40.6 percent of its field goal attempts (3rd lowest in the W), 30.7 percent of its 3-pointers (3rd lowest), and Seattle nets 10.2 steals per game (2nd most).

The Aces are 44-43 all-time against the Storm, with wins in each of the last seven meetings between the teams, and 12 of the last 14.

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