FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Dream - Game 18

FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs. Dream – Game 18

Franchise Sports Media

Las Vegas Aces (14-4) | Atlanta Dream (6-11)

 

 

The Aces extended their win-streak to four games by defeating the Atlanta Dream 118-95 on Sunday at Michelob Ultra Arena. The 118 total set a franchise record for points scored in a game and their 31 assists were a season high.

 

RECAP:

 

Both the Dream and Aces provided plenty of fireworks on the offensive end to begin Sunday’s matinee match. Atlanta started out the game outclassing the Aces in the paint as

Elizabeth Williams and Monique Billings took advantage of some weak interior defense. Vegas fell into an eight-point hole early but scratched and clawed their way back from a 26-18 deficit as their defense tightened some screws and the offense woke back up —  thanks in large part to Liz Cambage, Jackie Young, and Kelsey Plum — to bring the deficit to two points. And after Tianna Hawkins and Young traded threes to close the quarter, the Dream held a 31-29 lead going into the second. 

Two left-handers, Kelsey Plum and Odyssey Sims initiated the scoring for their respective teams to begin the quarter. Ji-Su Park entered the game and provided some defensive spark as well as a nice offensive rebound that led to a Dearica Hamby layup. The Aces fed off of Park’s energy and rode a wave of A’ja Wilson baskets which were met on the other end with plenty more action in the paint for the Dream as Monique Billings and Cheyenne Parker answered every Aces score. Courtney Williams kept the game even at 40 after nailing consecutive pull-up jumpers from the left side of the court. Newly acquired Ace Kiah Stokes battled on the offensive glass and gave Vegas some nice energy down the stretch of the quarter, while Wilson and Young continued to be the source of offense. The Aces took a 51-48 lead into the break. 

Riquna Williams’ eight early points helped grow the Aces’ two-point halftime lead to ten in just a matter of minutes before Atlanta had to burn a timeout. The lead would go from ten to 14 after a deep Chelsea Gray three, but Atlanta responded and chopped the Aces’ lead to eight points behind the scoring excellence of Courtney Williams and Cheyenne Parker. Yet, Vegas had an answer each time the Dream would cut into the lead; this time, it was another Riquna Williams three to put the lead back at double-digits. Shekinna Stricklen botched a pair of open mid-range jumpers, and Vegas ended the third with an 84-75 lead.

As Williams did in the third frame, Dearica Hamby drilled a three-pointer to start the quarter and then followed it with a driving layup and two free throws. Kelsey Plum added to the quick fourth-quarter start with a three-pointer of her own, and the lead was suddenly at 18. The reserves handled it from that point on; Ji-Su Park, Dearica Hamby, and Kelsey Plum helped the Aces to a franchise-best 118 points as they rolled Atlanta by 23.

 

POSITIVES:

Ball Movement – After recording a season-low 11 assists against the Sparks on Friday, the Aces registered a season-best 31 assists against the Dream on Sunday. The ball movement was phenomenal, and the ball didn’t stick much, which lead to the Aces scoring 118 points — the franchise’s best mark.

Team Effort – Six Aces players scored in double figures on Sunday, with Chelsea Gray (9) falling just short of being the seventh player. It’s probably unrealistic to expect all seven of the regular rotation players to all have great scoring efforts in the same game, but all are more than capable of being the leading scorer on any given night — which makes Vegas such a dangerous team.

 

NEGATIVES:

Free Throws – Vegas got to the line 28 times but missed seven of them, leaving them at just 75 percent clip for the afternoon. 75 isn’t a bad percentage by any means, but seven is a lot of misses and could haunt them in close games.

 

 

The Aces stay in Vegas on Wednesday, July 7th for a game against the Phoenix Mercury. Tune into Prime Video at 7:00 p.m. to follow the action live, and remember to check back for the next recap.

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