The Sparks had no answer for A’ja Wilson on Friday night. The three-time WNBA MVP had 35 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as the Las Vegas Aces bounced back from a 20-point loss five days earlier to beat the Sparks, 96-81, at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
It was the highest-scoring game for Wilson, who also had three steals and three blocked shots, since a 41-point performance last Sept. 1 at Phoenix. Jackie Young added 26 points for the Aces (3-2), who shot a blistering 12 for 25 from 3-point range. Chelsea Gray scored 15 points.
Former Aces guard Kelsey Plum led the Sparks (2-5) with 17 points, Odyssey Sims scored 15 and former Aces forward Dearica Hamby had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Azura Stevens added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Plum and Sparks coach Lynne Roberts were hit with technical fouls for arguing with officials on separate occasions.
The Aces, expected to be WNBA title contenders, entered this game off a slow start to the season that included a 102-82 loss at Seattle on Sunday.
Las Vegas went on a 23-2 run before the Sparks closed the first quarter with a 15-5 spurt of their own to draw to within 28-21. But the Aces added a 15-3 run in the second period to open a 54-36 lead, and the outcome was not seriously in doubt after that.
The Aces led by as much as 24 points, but the Sparks made their typical late push, using an 11-0 run to get within eight points with 4:07 left. The Aces went scoreless for almost four minutes during the Sparks’ surge, but back-to-back baskets from Young and a Wilson putback effectively snuffed the comeback bid.
Wilson shot 12 for 18 from the field, while Young was 11 for 22 (3 for 8 from 3-point range). Gray shot 4 for 7 from behind the arc.
Las Vegas held the Sparks to just 7-of-24 shooting from long range – including a 1-for-7 effort from Plum, who shot 6 for 19 overall in her first game in Las Vegas since she was part of the three-team trade in January in which the Aces acquired Jewell Loyd from Seattle.
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Sparks guard Kelsey Plum drives as Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson defends during the second half on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Sparks guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, right, passes around Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after a play against the Sparks during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) blocks a shot by Sparks forward Dearica Hamby during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Sparks guard Kelsey Plum drives against the Las Vegas Aces during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson, right, is fouled by Sparks forward Dearica Hamby during the first half on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) and guard Jackie Young (0) celebrate after a play against the Sparks during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Sparks guard Odyssey Sims drives as Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd defends during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) reacts after a play against the Sparks during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Sparks guard Kelsey Plum drives as Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young defends during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson shoots during the second half of a WNBA game against the Sparks on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Sparks forward Emma Cannon, left, fouls Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Mitchell during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Mitchell drives as Sparks guard Odyssey Sims (0) defends during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young shoots in front of Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, left, celebrates after making a 3-point shot against the Sparks during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, left, shoots as Sparks forward Azura Stevens defends during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 30, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
