Down 11 points with under four minutes to play and missing their three-time MVP, the Las Vegas Aces could have folded. Instead, they closed the game on a 17-2 run to beat the Dallas Wings 88-84 on Friday at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Jewell Loyd buried the go-ahead 3-pointer with 28.3 seconds left, finishing with a season-high 21 points. Jackie Young led all scorers with 28 points, and Chelsea Gray added 13 points and the assist on Loyd’s clutch shot.
The Aces (5-4) played without star A’ja Wilson, who entered concussion protocol after a hit to the face in Wednesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. Wilson watched from a private box with her boyfriend, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.
“This game in particular, we were all very talkative. Through the good, the bad third quarter, all those things — we were still engaged,” Loyd said. “And there was a belief that we were gonna win this game.”
Arike Ogunbowale scored 26 points for the Wings (1-11), who have lost seven straight. No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers added 16 points on 7-of-19 shooting.
Loyd breaks out of slump
Entering Friday, Loyd was averaging fewer than three field goals per game and shooting a career-low 29.9 percent. She scored the Aces’ first eight points and had 16 by halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, she delivered in the fourth, including two free throws during a 10-0 Aces run from the charity stripe that turned an 11-point deficit into an 82-81 lead. The Aces outscored the Wings 24-14 in the fourth quarter, making 17 free throws to Dallas’s entire offensive output in the period.
Disastrous third quarter
After taking a 49-40 halftime lead, the Aces opened the third quarter with five consecutive turnovers as the Wings went on an 18-0 run. Dallas outscored Las Vegas 30-15 in the period, forcing 10 Aces turnovers. “We clearly were throwing it to the other team,” coach Becky Hammon said. “On the defensive end, our worst quarter was really by our first five.”
Hammon credited the bench, which scored 18 points after managing just three in the previous game. Rookie Aaliyah Nye posted a plus-18 rating with five points, and her teammates noted she grabbed the rebound that led to Loyd’s winning shot.
Wilson’s absence
Wilson leads the Aces in points (20.9), rebounds (9.6), assists (4.0), steals (2.0) and blocks (2.6). Hammon said she is not rushing Wilson back. “A’ja has given us basically three MVP years and was healthy. Although we always want her out there, I’m OK with her taking a second to reset and get her body right,” Hammon said. “I don’t want to rush her back at all. It’s about winning games in September.”
Young pointed to Wilson during warmups as a “thank you” for her support. “We knew that everyone was gonna have to step up without having her. She carries a big load for us every night,” Young said. “You’re not gonna replace her, but everybody just has to do a little bit more.”
