LOS ANGELES (July 5, 2024)—Las Vegas (12-7) erased a 15-point second-half deficit to force overtime Friday evening, but the Los Angeles Sparks (5-15) scored 14 of the 23 points in the extra period to end the Aces’ 6-game winning streak, 98-93. A’ja Wilson led all scorers with 35 points, while Dearica Hamby paced the Sparks with 28.
Box Score | Highlights | Photo Gallery
First Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 24, Los Angeles 21)
Las Vegas scored the first 7 points of the game, only to watch the Sparks match them and tie the score. Neither team led by more than 3 points the remainder of the quarter. The Aces made 52.9 percent of their field goal attempts to 36.4 percent for the Sparks, but LA didn’t commit any turnovers, while Las Vegas coughed the ball up 3 times for 6 Sparks points. Wilson led the Aces with 11 points, while Hamby paced the Sparks with 8
Second Quarter Highlights (Los Angeles 46, Las Vegas 36)
There were 3 ties and 4 lead changes in the first 6 minutes of the 2nd stanza with Las Vegas clinging to a 1-point lead, 33-32, after a Wilson 13-footer. A Rickea Jackson 3-ball put the Sparks back on top, and Los Angeles closed the half by scoring the final 9 points. The Aces made just 33.3 percent of their shots from the field, and committed 3 turnovers which Los Angeles flipped into 6 points. The Sparks only made 38.9 percent of their shots from the floor, but were 5 of 10 from deep. They also made 6 of 7 shots from the charity stripe while the Aces didn’t take a single free throw. Jackson led LA with 7 points on a pair of 3-pointers and a free throw, while Kelsey Plum and Kate Martin paced Las Vegas with 3 apiece.
Third Quarter Highlights (Los Angeles 70, Las Vegas 60)
A 7-0 run early in the 3rd put the Sparks up 15, 53-38, causing Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon to make a complete line change subbing out all 5 starters. That lasted 1 minute and 13 seconds, and then the starters returned, they quickly reduced a 12-point Sparks advantage down to 7. Las Vegas sliced the LA lead to 5, 59-54, with 3:37 on the clock, but the Sparks pushed their lead back out to double figures by quarter’s end. Wilson and Aari McDonald each scored a game-high 10 points in the period.
Fourth Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 84, Los Angeles 84)
The Aces chipped away at the Sparks’ lead, reducing it to 2 on a pair of Wilson free throws with 6:12 to go, and taking the lead once again on a Jackie Young 3-pointer with 5:44 on the clock. There were an additional 3 ties and 2 lead changes down the stretch, but Plum’s baseline jumper at the buzzer was off the mark. Las Vegas made 8 of 15 shots from the field, including 3 of 6 from distance, while Los Angeles made 5 of 19 from the field and 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. Wilson nearly outscored the Sparks by herself in the period, scoring a dozen.
Overtime Highlights (Los Angeles 98, Las Vegas 93)
The score was still knotted at 90 with 2:07 to go in overtime, and on LA’s next offensive possession, the Sparks picked up 3 offensive rebounds before Layshia Clarendon’s floater put them up for good. Los Angeles scored its final 4 points from the free throw line while the Aces made just 1 of their final 4 shots from the field. Young scored all 9 of Las Vegas’ points in OT. Wilson, who had 35 points in regulation, did not score in the extra stanza. Hamby netted 5 points in the final 5 minutes to lead the Sparks.
KEY STATS
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The Sparks committed just 3 turnovers which Las Vegas flipped into 5 points, while the Aces had 12 miscues which LA turned into 17 points.
Las Vegas made 47.8 percent of its shots from the field (32 of 67) compared to 37.2 percent for the Sparks (32 of 86).
The Sparks outrebounded the Aces 11-3 on the offensive glass, outscoring Las Vegas 15-5 in second chance points.
The Aces went 20 for 22 from the free throw line, while Los Angeles made 23 0f 32.
GAME NOTES
Los Angeles’ 3 turnovers are the fewest ever for a team in an overtime game.
Wilson grabbed 12 rebounds and now has 1,844 for her career, moving her past Natalie Williams (32nd, 1,832) and Plenette Pierson (31st, 1,834) into 31st place on the WNBA career rebound chart. Next up on the list is Cheryl Ford (30th, 1,907).
Wilson had 6 blocked shots and now has 394 for her career trailing Tina Charles for the 14th most in WNBA history with 397.
Gray handed out 6 assists, and now has 1,531 for her career—the 9th most in WNBA history. Cappie Pondexter is 8th on the list with 1,578.
Kiah Stokes scored the 1,000th point of her career on a driving layup with 6:13 to go in the second quarter.
NEXT UP
After barely unpacking their luggage, the Aces head back to Las Vegas for a Sunday, July 7, meeting with the Dallas Wings at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tip is at 12:30 pm, and the game is being broadcast nationally on ESPN.