Chelsea Gray, A’ja Wilson power Aces past Los Angeles Sparks

Chelsea Gray didn’t lift the Los Angeles Sparks to victory Friday night like she’d done so many times in her career. She ensured their defeat — and an Aces victory.

Gray rescued the Aces amid one of their worst offensive outings of the season at the Los Angeles Convention Center by making several clutch plays in a 66-58 road victory over her former team.

On a night in which the Aces shot 37.7 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from 3-point range, Gray made the game-tying jumper with 3:48 to play and fed A’ja Wilson for the go-ahead free throws on the ensuing possession.

She also converted a floater, drew an offensive foul and whizzed a pinpoint pass to Riquna Williams for a crucial corner 3-pointer with 1:53 remaining.

“That’s the sign of just an elite professional athlete. We knew if anything, we can put the ball in Chelsea’s hands and she’s going to create something for us,” said Wilson, who finished with team highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds. “At the end of the day, when you have a point guard and lead guard like that who can create anything she wants, I’m just happy to play alongside her.”

The Aces (13-4) rolled to a 99-75 victory over the Sparks (6-10) on Wednesday, and coach Bill Laimbeer expected a more spirited effort from the Sparks on Friday in wake of the blowout decision. They intensified their defensive pressure and packed the paint as to prevent Wilson and All-Star center Liz Cambage from finding a rhythm near the basket.

The gaping driving lanes that were available Wednesday had vanished. Transition opportunities were few and far between. And open jumpers in the flow of the offense would not fall.

But the Aces remained composed in the face of their offensive struggles and a 12-3 run by the Sparks that helped them take a 56-54 lead. Gray would dribble the ball up the floor and the survey the defense before making play after play after play in the city where she’d spent the previous six seasons.

Wilson made five important free throws late in the fourth quarter and also helped anchor a defense that held Los Angeles to 35.5 percent shooting.

“We just missed shots. A lot of shots that we normally get that go in. Today they didn’t,” Laimbeer said. “We made the big plays down the stretch.”

Erica Wheeler led the Sparks with 15 points.

The Aces return to Las Vegas to play Sunday against the Atlanta Dream at Michelob Ultra Arena.

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.