FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Lynx - Game 14

FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs. Lynx – Game 14

Franchise Sports Media

Las Vegas Aces (10-4) | Minnesota Lynx (7-7)

 

 

The Las Vegas Aces returned to the court to face the Minnesota Lynx after its second week off in the past three weeks. Vegas was able to use overtime to wipe away any rust that had culminated over the past week, though they fell 90-89 to the Lynx.

 

RECAP:

 

Just a few days removed from an 18-point come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Dream, Sylvia Fowles made sure to get the Lynx off to a better first-quarter start by scoring six of the team’s first ten points. Turnovers plagued the Aces on the other side and they fell behind quickly 18-9 by the first media timeout. Liz Cambage and A’ja Wilson picked things up for Vegas and a Chelsea Gray fading jump shot closed the gap to just three points.

A series of offensive rebounds — five in the quarter — helped keep the Aces within striking distance before Wilson and Dearica Hamby gave Vegas a 24-23 lead. Napheesa Collier completed an and-one on the other end, but Kelsey Plum found Hamby for a layup to tie the score at 26 as the first quarter closed.

Plum came out strong to open the second quarter as she put in a running floater off the glass before driving the lane and hitting Hamby for an open three-pointer just moments later. Sylvia Fowles went two for two, keeping the score from getting out of hand as it did at one point in their previous game. Minnesota took a 34-31 lead when Layshia Clarendon converted on back-to-back possessions. In the back-and-forth affair, former Ace Kayla McBride drilled her second three of the game to give the Lynx a five-point lead, but Cambage responded with a three of her own on the other end. Fowles and Hamby traded baskets and Chelsea Gray continued to set the table for everyone. Vegas took a 48-44 lead into the half with A’ja Wilson’s 19 points leading the charge.

The third quarter had a slow beginning for both the Aces and the Lynx. A couple of Jackie Young short jumpers were good enough for four of the Aces’ six points through the opening four minutes of the quarter as they extended their lead to eight points. Minnesota narrowed the deficit by earning three straight trips to the foul line and added an extra point after a Liz Cambage technical foul. Damiris Dantas’ back-to-back baskets gave the Lynx a 60-56 lead as part of a 14-2 run. Napheesa Collier proceeded to get to the line and make life difficult on the Aces’ defense for the remainder of the quarter, and the Lynx held a 69-63 lead at the end of the frame.

Las Vegas fell down by ten early in the quarter which caused coach Laimbeer to burn a quick timeout. Minnesota kept the momentum for much of the fourth quarter while the Aces grew cold from the field.

Vegas mucked the game up in many ways that the Lynx did in that third quarter by doing a lot of work at the charity stripe. Things briefly got chippy after a hard foul drew a reaction from Cambage, but it ultimately resulted in just a common foul. Just as Vegas seemed dead in the water, Kelsey Plum scored seven unanswered points to dwindle the Lynx’s lead to two points with just a minute left. A’ja Wilson was fouled and calmly drained two free throws to tie the game at the end of regulation — sending the game to overtime.

Chelsea Gray hit Wilson streaking to the rim in transition, but Layshia Clarendon’s two baskets at the start of overtime put Minnesota out front 86-84. Liz Cambage put the Aces up 87-76 when she made her second three-pointer of the game. However, Fowles gave the Lynx a late lead after converting on a layup. Vegas opted to let Minnesota play out their final offensive possession as there was a two-second differential in the shot clock, but the Aces failed to secure the rebound and the Lynx ran out the clock with a 90-89 victory.

 

POSITIVES:

 

Offensive Rebounds – One area of weakness that the Aces have had this season has been their inability to keep the opposing team off of the offensive glass. They did a fairly good job against the Lynx on Friday night as Minnesota had zero offensive rebounds in the first half and just five total for the game.

 

NEGATIVES:

Paint Defense – From the opening tip, the Lynx controlled the paint. Fowles and Collier lived there throughout the game via post-ups and cuts to the rim. Vegas showed little resistance and Minnesota would end up having a field day in the paint. 

Count it 😤@Kelseyplum10 // #ALLIN ♦️♠️ pic.twitter.com/KnshZTz5LQ

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) June 26, 2021

Turnovers – Usually when analyzing an Aces’ game, you have to look at the turnovers they’ve tallied by the end of the game. Just barely leading the league in fewest turnovers per game, Vegas recorded eight in the third quarter alone against the Lynx and finished with 16 of them.

 

 

The Aces will return to Michelob Ultra Arena to face the Seattle Storm on Sunday, June 27th. Tune into ESPN at 1:00 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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