FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Mystics - Game 10

FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs. Mystics – Game 10

Franchise Sports Media

Las Vegas Aces (7-3) | Washington Mystics (2-5)

 

 

This Saturday ABC matchup was certainly worthy of its primetime television spot for the national audience. There was plenty of offense, and enough defense to go around for the Aces to pull out a 96-93 to end its road trip.

 

RECAP:

 

Washington, fresh off of a week’s worth of rest in-between games, had plenty of punch to them out of the gates. Once they got a few quick turnovers out of their system, the Mystics’ offense lit up the scoreboard behind a Myisha Hines-Allen offensive explosion. Riquna Williams provided the offense for Vegas throughout the quarter, and her 12 first-quarter points kept the score close. Natasha Cloud did a great job for Washington setting the table for her teammates on their way to a 29-24 lead heading into the second quarter.

Liz Cambage planted herself inside the paint and scored three baskets to begin the quarter. Her post-clinic must have woken up Washington center Tina Charles who began feasting on the other end — she scored from the perimeter and then thrived out of the post over the taller Cambage. Yet, Cambage kept putting out little fires.

She finished the quarter having scored 14 of her 16 first-half points. Jackie Young gave the Aces a one-point lead late in the quarter, but Hines-Allen scored on a two-footer with 8.5 seconds left in the second quarter that would give Washington a 57-56 lead at the half. 

The Aces came out of the break with a renewed energy and took a 62-57 lead after a 6-0 run. The offense cooled off quite a bit for the Mystics as they scored just seven points through the first six minutes of the quarter. Vegas kept going to Cambage, and Chelsea Gray hit a transition three-pointer as part of a 9-2 spurt out of the half. Hines-Allen sunk two free throws before Ariel Atkins and Leilani Mitchell knocked down back-to-back threes, completely erasing the Aces’ one-time seven-point lead. Jackie Young drained a rare three-pointer down the stretch of the quarter, yet the score remained close. Las Vegas took a 78-75 lead into the fourth.

Another 6-0 run to begin the quarter put the Aces on top by nine points. They’d continue to roll offensively as they built up a 13-point lead as Washington’s offense sputtered. The Aces held the Mystics to just two points over the first six minutes of the quarter. However, the Mystics drained three straight three-pointers — two from Atkins — in a matter of minutes as part of a 13-0 run to tie the game at 90. A’ja Wilson gathered a missed jumper and scored a two to give the Aces a 92-90 lead, and it became a free throw contest from there after a Mystics miss on the other end. Wilson sealed the deal at the line before forcing a turnover on Washington’s last gasp. The Aces finished the game with a 96-93 win.

 

 

POSITIVES:

 

Weathering the Storm – The Mystics threw two haymakers in this game that the Aces could have let derail them. First, Myisha Hines-Allen and Ariel Atkins powered Washington to an 11-point first-half lead, which the Aces answered. The second and most lethal punch came at the end of the game when the two aforementioned players led a 13-0 run to tie the game at 90 with just a minute remaining. Vegas responded, once again, and earned the victory.

Free Throws – Las Vegas really out-matched the Mystics physically in this contest. They got to the line 27 times and converted on 24 of them. Being able to essentially get free points makes them so hard for opposing teams to deal with, especially when you take into account how it allows for the Aces to get its defense set on the other end.

 

 

 

NEGATIVES:

First Half Defense – After a week-long break, the Washington Mystics put up 57 first-half points on the Aces. Myisha Hines-Allen had 21 points in the half, and Ariel Atkins was on fire as well. Vegas eventually got their defense together in the second half, but they can’t afford to get 57 points hung on them in any half, no matter the opponent. Luckily for them, they had enough offensive production to overcome it.

Defense 👉 Offense#ALLIN ♦️♠️ pic.twitter.com/c5F8GvqV1n

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) June 5, 2021

 

 

 

The Aces will have a week off before they return home on Sunday, June 13th to face the Dallas Wings. Tune into MyLVTV at 3:00 p.m. PST to follow the action live, and make sure to catch the next recap here at Franchise Sports Media.

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