Aces players officially concluded their seasons Tuesday with exit interviews opposite coach Bill Laimbeer and assistant coaches Vickie Johnson and Kelly Raimon at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Aces/WNBA
Aces center A’ja Wilson was the unanimous choice to win the Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year award, the AP announced Tuesday.
As the final seconds of their inaugural season filtered through the hourglass and the clock around Flavor Flav’s neck, it occurred that the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces had lasted longer than the Las Vegas Posse of the Canadian Football League.
Wilson concluded a stellar rookie season with 21 points and seven rebounds against the Dream on Sunday afternoon. She averaged 20.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and scored in double figures in all 33 games this season to eclipse Candace Parker for the second-most consecutive such games to start a career.
The Aces closed out their first campaign in front of the 5,737 on hand for Fan Appreciation Day at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Aces (14-19) end their inaugural season at 3 p.m. Sunday against the Atlanta Dream (22-11) at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The Aces have lost six of their past eight games, and in those defeats, they allowed opponents an average of 103 points while watching them shoot 52 percent from the field and 41 percent on 3s.
Liz Cambage scored 43 points as the Dallas Wings clinched the WNBA’s eighth and final playoff berth with a 107-102 victory over the Aces on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
Las Vegas and Dallas have 14-18 records and are battling for the WNBA’s final playoff spot, but the Wings are 2-0 against the Aces, so they own the tiebreaker.
The Aces defeated the New York Liberty 85-72 on Wednesday night at Mandalay Bay Events Center to tie the Dallas Wings for the WNBA’s eighth and final playoff spot with two games remaining.
Kelsey Plum, selected No. 1 overall in 2017, has been among the league leaders in 3-point percentage throughout her second pro season and is starting to showcase the scoring that captivated the country during her record-setting college career.
The Aces (13-18) are one game behind the Dallas Wings (14-17) for the No. 8 and final playoff seed as they prepare for what has become their most important game of the season against the New York Liberty on Wednesday.
A former “Fantasy” singer, Stephanie Sanchez is one of the “suits” at MGM Resorts — the entertainment manager at New York-New York.
Dallas Wings coach Fred Williams has been relieved of his duties with the club mired in an eight-game losing streak that jeopardized a playoff spot that once seemed secure.
The Aces snapped a five-game losing streak and preserved the possibility of the postseason with a 92-74 victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday night before an announced crowd of 5,213.