3 takeaways from Aces’ win: Wilson stars in comeback victory
A’ja Wilson was reminded of the news conference after Tiffany Hayes’ Aces debut when the two sat down together Sunday.
“This is a full circle moment,” Wilson said to Hayes with a smile.
Wilson led the Aces (16-7) to a 89-77 road win against the Washington Mystics at Entertainment & Sports Arena on Sunday. Kelsey Plum added 22 points and Hayes, more than a month after playing her first game with the team on June 5, matched her season high with 17 points off the bench.
The Aces needed to fight for the victory. Wilson gave her team a 2-0 lead to start the game, but the Mystics didn’t trail again until the third quarter. Washington (6-18) led by as many as 15 points.
Washington’s Ariel Atkins put up a career-high 36 points, 21 of which came in the first half. The Aces trailed 31-20 after the first quarter but stormed back to complete a three-game season sweep of Washington. They won all three matchups by double digits.
The Aces, who have the third-best record in the WNBA, will now return home from their three-game road trip to play the Chicago Sky at Michelob Ultra Arena on Tuesday.
Here are three takeaways from the team’s fourth straight win:
1. More love for Wilson
Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to record more than 20 points and 15 rebounds in three consecutive games.
It was the latest in a series of milestones for the Aces’ star. She became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer on July 7 and recorded 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game for the first time in her career Thursday.
Aces coach Becky Hammon said Sunday she’d “run out of adjectives” for Wilson.
“She is gifted, anointed, chosen, however you want to put it,” Hammon said. “She has it. The biggest thing about A’ja that’s always impressed me is she’s always the same A’ja.”
Hayes also praised Wilson postgame, saying that playing with her is the “craziest thing I’ve ever been able to experience.”
“You’re amazing, man,” Hayes said to Wilson. “I’ve been wanting to say that for a long time.”
2. Bench production
Hayes, in addition to her 17 points, had a season-high five assists Sunday.
The Aces’ bench wasn’t a strength last year. Hayes’ addition has been a notable fix. She contributed to a 9-0 run late in the second quarter that helped her team tie the game for the first time since the opening two minutes. Her shot from deep, plus 3-pointers from Plum and Jackie Young, brought the score to 40-40. Julie Vanloo answered with a 3 to give the Mystics a 43-40 lead entering halftime.
Hayes was then everywhere for the Aces in the fourth quarter. She scored on a layup 15 seconds into the period to give her team a 67-62 advantage. She also hit a 3-pointer and got to the free-throw line twice in the final frame.
“I feel like sometimes when we’re in lulls and we bring (Hayes) in, it’s just a shift of energy. Of, ‘No, y’all gotta play at my pace. Y’all gotta play at my speed. Catch up.’ And that’s what I love the most,” Wilson said. “Even competing against her, I love the (spirit) that she would play with because it made us on the defensive end react.”
3. No worries about Gray
The Aces started 6-6 with Chelsea Gray out with a lower left leg injury, but they’ve won 10 of their 11 games since the return of the “Point Gawd.”
The team had a brief scare midway through the third quarter after Gray collided with Atkins in the paint. Gray was slow to get up after taking a hard fall and seemingly hitting her head on Mystics guard DiDi Richards’ leg. Gray was escorted to the locker room but returned to the game in the fourth quarter.
Hammon said Gray is “fine” and won’t need to be monitored ahead of the Aces’ next game Tuesday.
Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.