Coaches, players and WNBA executives were thrilled with the show that Las Vegas put on for the All-Star Game last weekend.
Aces
Kayla McBride scored 19 points Thursday night, but the Aces sputtered in the fourth quarter en route to a 76-68 road loss to the Los Angeles Sparks at Staples Center.
The 6-foot-3-inch forward has started the past three games in place of the injured Wilson and is averaging 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds and shooting 65.7 percent.
Before he played for the Detroit Pistons and then went on to be a successful WNBA coach, Bill Laimbeer spent a season playing a Sleestak on the hit television show ‘Land of the Lost.’
Las Vegas forward Dearica Hamby started for the third straight game in place of the injured A’ja Wilson, and recorded a team-high 18 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.
The Aces returned to practice Monday for the first time since the All-Star break, and are focused on building on the positives of the first half of the season — and improving some of the negatives.
The Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics on Aug. 5 will complete their game that was suspended at halftime because of an earthquake earlier this month, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
A’ja Wilson couldn’t play because of a sprained ankle, but Kayla McBride scored 13 points and Liz Cambage had eight points and six rebounds to cap All-Star weekend.
MGM Resorts’ original plan was for Mandalay Bay Events Center to compete with The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood.
Indiana Fever guard Erica Wheeler of Team Wilson had 25 points and seven assists to earn MVP honors Saturday before an announced crowd of 9,157 at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
It felt a little like Hollywood on Friday night when some of the WNBA’s best players walked the “Orange Carpet” outside of Della’s Kitchen at The Delano on the Las Vegas Strip.
The weekend culminates with the All-Star Game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center, where Team Wilson meets Team Della Donne.
The All-Star guard loses in the final round to Connecticut Sun forward Shekinna Stricklen at the WNBA’s All-Star Friday night at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The events are packaged together as a separate competition beginning at 4 p.m. Friday at Mandalay Bay Events Center. ESPN will televise the contests live.
The All-Star guard suffered through losing seasons in her first five years in the league, but the Aces are 13-6 at the break and she’s having a blast on the court.
