Aces go cold in Atlanta, beaten by Gray’s Dream

Former South Carolina Gamecocks A'ja Wilson and Allisha Gray are pictured during the Las Vegas Aces - Atlanta Dream game on May 31. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

A career-night from one of the Atlanta Dream’s all-stars led to the second loss of the season for the Las Vegas Aces.

Atlanta edged Las Vegas, 78-74, Friday, May 31 from the Gateway Center at College Park. Last season, the Aces didn’t lose their second game until July 7.

“A lot of the things we did tonight aren’t part of our identity,” guard Kelsey Plum said. “Aren’t part of who we are – again, you’ve got to give credit to Atlanta, they had a good gameplan.”

The dropped game ends a streak of five straight wins against Atlanta as Las Vegas falls to 4-2 on the year. A third and final road game remains on the team’s first road trip of the season. That contest will be played Wednesday, June 5 against the Dallas Wings with tip-off slated for 5 p.m.

Aces forward A'ja Wilson takes a midrange jumper over Dream forward Tina Charles. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

“When you compete at a high-level you’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some,” Plum said. “You’ve got to learn from it and keep it pushing. This is a tough league, we’re on the road, we didn’t get – it’s news if we lose at this point for the Aces. So we’re going to reset and be ready to play Dallas.”

Dream guard Allisha Gray scored a season-high 24 points with a career-high six made three-pointers to go along with it. Her 6-for-15 shooting performance came after starting the contest zero for her first seven attempts.

Las Vegas guard Kelsey Plum races out while initiating the team's offense. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Atlanta outscored Las Vegas, 50-40, in the second half.

“Honestly, I think we had a pretty decent defensive showing,” forward A’ja Wilson said. “It’s more on the offensive end, where we kind of got away from us and our system. Defensively, I think we did a pretty decent job going at our matchups overall and down-the-stretch but I think offensively we just didn’t have it.”

In the second quarter, the Aces went on a 13-3 run to take an 11-point lead. Going back to the opening frame, the run stretched to 21-6 overall. The Dream turned a six-point halftime deficit on its ear with a 12-1 run in the middle of the third quarter.

Las Vegas had just two field goals in the final 3:44 of regulation.

“These are all good moments for us,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “Because we know down-the-stretch we’re going to have to execute and get good looks. Jack got a good look, it didn’t go in, that happens but that’s why you’ve got to do all the little stuff so that you don’t put yourself in a situation where you have to hit shots.”

With the exception of a few stretches in the middle quarters, the Aces struggled from the field and wound up shooting 36% from the field with a 26%-mark from downtown.

Plum scored 19 points, a team-high six assists and hit a milestone of 400 made three-pointers in her career.

“I honestly could give a damn,” Plum said. “Because tonight I missed a lot of good ones and I would’ve rather won the game. I’m sure records are great at the end of the day, wins are wins and that’s what’s important.”

Aces guard Jackie Young gets blocked by Dream center Cheyenne Parker-Tyus during the team's four-point loss. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Fellow guard Jackie Young added 15 points with six rebounds and five assists. The starting backcourt for the Aces combined to go 10-for-33 from the field.

Late in regulation, Young and Atlanta guard Aerial Powers were both assessed technical fouls with the home team up four.

“We focus on what we can control,” Plum said. “Jackie Young is one of the best players in the world, there’s no one that’s going to get into her head. That’s just a matter of fact.”

Wilson led all scorers with a game-high 28 points on 12-of-27 from the field coupled with nine rebounds. Those nine rebounds during the outing ended a streak of five straight games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds which set a new WNBA record.

Earlier in the day, Las Vegas announced that it signed former all-star guard Tiffany Hayes to a contract. The 11-year veteran averaged just over 12 points in her career on 43% shooting.

“Tiff Hayes is a dawg,” Wilson said. “We’ve had some great competitive runs against Tiff. I love her attitude, I love her approach to the game. Just to have her on the team, brought her out of retirement – that’s big. That’s huge because she could’ve been on a beach somewhere but she decided to join our locker room.”

Las Vegas has been without three-time champion Chelsea Gray all season long and without two-time champion Kierstan Bell for the last four games.