October 10, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; A view of the official game ball during the second half of Game 1 of the 2021 WNBA Finals between the Phoenix Mercury and the Chicago Sky at Footprint Center. Mandatory Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images A’ja Wilson collected 30 points and 14 rebounds as the host Las Vegas Aces defeated the reeling Chicago Sky 90-71 on Tuesday night.
Tiffany Hayes scored 20 points, Jackie Young had 15 and Chelsea Gray added 13 and 10 assists as the Aces (21-12) won three straight games for the first time since snapping a four-game winning streak from July 7-14.
Las Vegas managed the win without guard Kelsey Plum, the team’s second-leading scorer and Olympic champion at the 2024 Paris Games. Plum was out with a right ankle injury.
Michaela Onyenwere scored 15 points and Kamilla Cardoso 14 for Chicago. Dana Evans added 13 points and Angel Reese added 12 points and 16 rebounds for the Sky (11-22), who lost their seventh straight game and are trying to hold on to the final playoff spot.
Leading scorer Chennedy Carter missed her fourth consecutive game for Chicago due to health and safety regulations.
The Aces led by 16 points at halftime, but Chicago closed the gap to 60-49 in the third quarter after eight unanswered points from the Sky. Las Vegas extended the lead to 68-51 by the end of the third quarter, and the Aces led by at least 10 points throughout the fourth quarter.
Young had five points and an assist during an 8-0 run that gave the Aces a 17-6 lead. But Las Vegas went pointless over the final 3:17 of the first quarter and Chicago scored the final seven points of the quarter to pull within 17-13.
The Aces ended their scoring drought just 12 seconds into the second quarter and quickly took a 30-13 lead with 6:53 left in the first half after Gray marched through the basket area and scored a layup.
Onyenwere gave Sky the first points of the second quarter with a layup of her own at the 6:01 mark. Las Vegas went into the break with a 47-31 lead.
–Field level media
