Minnesota Lynx vs Las Vegas Aces - Image Source: Getty
The Las Vegas Aces earned a statement victory Thursday night, outlasting the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, 97-87, in what could be a playoff preview. The win marked the Aces’ 13th consecutive triumph, while handing the Lynx their ninth defeat of the year and their first of September.
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A’ja Wilson came out on top in the head-to-head battle of MVP frontrunners, posting 31 points and eight rebounds on an efficient 12-of-15 shooting. Napheesa Collier, by contrast, was limited to 12 points and six boards on 5-of-13 shooting.
Jackie Young delivered another strong performance for Las Vegas with 20 points and five rebounds. Chelsea Gray chipped in 13 points and dished out 10 assists, while NaLyssa Smith contributed 10 points.
Minnesota’s reserves outplayed the Aces’ bench, 29-18, but the Lynx starters struggled to produce consistently. Courtney Williams finished with 14 points, Alanna Smith had 13, and Kayla McBride added 10. Natisha Hiedeman provided a spark with a team-high 22 points off the bench.
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With the result, the Aces improved to 27-14, matching the records of the Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury. The Lynx stayed atop the standings at 32-9.
Las Vegas now has a chance to close out the regular season on a winning streak, with back-to-back home games against the already eliminated Chicago Sky before wrapping up against the LA Sparks next Thursday.
Minnesota, meanwhile, continues its road swing against the Golden State Valkyries and Indiana Fever before returning home to face the Valkyries in their season finale.
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Minnesota Lynx vs Las Vegas Aces box score
Minnesota Lynx player stats
Player
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
FGM
FGA
FG%
3PM
3PA
3P%
FTM
FTA
FT%
OREB
DREB
TOV
STL
BLK
PF
=+/-
Bridget Carleton SF
27:32
9
3
1
3
3
100
3
3
100
0
0
-
1
2
0
1
0
2
-6
Napheesa Collier PF
29:32
12
6
3
5
13
38.5
1
3
33.3
1
2
50.0
1
5
2
0
0
2
-13
Alanna Smith C
23:54
13
4
2
6
11
54.5
1
4
25.0
0
0
-
0
4
2
0
0
4
0
Kayla McBride SG
28:29
10
3
6
4
11
36.4
2
7
28.6
0
0
-
1
2
2
2
0
1
-15
Courtney Williams PG
28:54
14
4
4
7
15
46.7
0
2
0.0
0
0
-
0
4
4
1
0
1
-6
Natisha Hiedeman
28:12
22
6
5
8
10
80.0
2
3
66.7
4
5
80.0
2
4
2
4
0
1
-10
Jessica Shepard
13:24
2
1
1
1
1
100
0
0
-
0
2
0.0
0
1
0
0
1
1
-12
Maria Kliundikova
07:12
3
0
3
1
1
100
0
0
-
1
2
50.0
0
0
0
0
0
2
5
Jaylyn Sherrod
04:42
0
0
0
0
1
0.0
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
Anastasiia Olairi Kosu
04:42
2
0
0
1
1
100
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
Camryn Taylor
03:27
0
1
0
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
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Las Vegas Aces player stats
Player
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
FGM
FGA
FG%
3PM
3PA
3P%
FTM
FTA
FT%
OREB
DREB
TOV
STL
BLK
PF
=+/-
Kierstan Bell SF
11:58
5
3
2
2
5
40.0
1
2
50.0
0
0
-
1
2
1
1
0
0
3
A'ja Wilson PF
34:59
31
8
2
12
15
80.0
1
1
100
6
7
85.7
1
7
1
1
2
1
13
NaLyssa Smith C
25:56
10
4
0
5
8
62.5
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
4
1
1
1
5
5
Jackie Young SG
32:30
20
2
5
8
12
66.7
4
6
66.7
0
0
-
0
2
1
1
0
2
8
Chelsea Gray PG
33:49
13
2
10
5
13
38.5
1
5
20.0
2
2
100
0
2
4
0
0
1
2
Jewell Loyd
24:41
6
5
3
2
5
40.0
2
4
50.0
0
0
-
2
3
2
1
0
0
12
Dana Evans
18:38
6
2
3
2
6
33.3
0
1
0.0
2
2
100
0
2
1
1
0
1
1
Kiah Stokes
01:32
0
1
0
0
1
0.0
0
1
0.0
0
0
-
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Aaliyah Nye
15:57
6
2
0
2
4
50.0
2
4
50.0
0
0
-
0
2
0
1
1
1
6
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Minnesota Lynx vs Las Vegas Aces: Game recap
Bridget Carleton opened strong for Minnesota, sinking three triples to spark a 12-8 lead midway through the first quarter. But Jackie Young responded with seven points of her own, fueling an Aces rally that put them on top, 26-24, at the end of the period.
The second quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, but Las Vegas edged ahead 47-44 after A’ja Wilson calmly knocked down two free throws in the final 30 seconds, capping the half with a game-high 17 points.
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The third quarter remained tightly contested, setting the stage for a decisive final frame.
With 6:27 left and Minnesota trimming the deficit to five, the Aces turned to their core of Wilson, Young and Gray, who delivered down the stretch to seal the 97-87 win.
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About the author
John Ezekiel Hirro
John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.
He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.
A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.
He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.