Wilson becomes first 1,000-point scorer in a single season as Aces roll again

Before Sunday night, no one in WNBA history had ever scored 1,000 points in a single season. Two-time league MVP A’ja Wilson just became the first.

With the regular season reaching its final days, Las Vegas disposed of Connecticut, 84-71, Sunday, Sept. 15 from inside the Michelob Ultra Arena. The win means a clean series sweep for the Aces over the Sun with two meetings coming in the month of September.

‘In the second half, I was like, ‘Let me lock into what we need to get the win and whatever else comes with it, we’ll live with,’” Wilson said. “It was definitely a big moment just to get it at home. Definitely sucked kind of getting the scoring record in Indiana because no one really cares about us there which is cool, respectfully.”

The return home came after a 3-1 road trip for the back-to-back defending champions with two more games remaining on the schedule currently. Las Vegas’ final road trip of the season looms next with a date with Seattle set.

With the fourth spot up for grabs in this year’s playoff bracket, the Aces and Storm will meet for all the marbles Tuesday, Sept. 17 from the Climate Pledge Arena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

For now, Las Vegas is 25-13 this season and are currently slotted in the fourth spot. The third seed which is held by Connecticut is still in play for the Aces with two more regular season games left.

“This is when you need to start playing your best basketball,” Wilson said. “This is rock and roll time, this is the best time of year. It’s good to get these wins under our belts and I’m glad at the fact that they’re not easy wins. They’re wins that we have to grind out.”

Wilson headed into the fourth quarter just four points away from setting the first 1,000-point season in league history. It started early for her as she came into the game needing 29 points to set the historic mark.

She tallied 10 points in the game’s opening quarter and by the third quarter she’d recorded her 33rd game of at least 20 points scored this season. Late in regulation, she added another bucket to move just two points away from the comma.

”Experiencing life and not taking anything for granted,” Wilson said. “That was so key to me because we kind of get lost in the sauce of life and we lose out on the little special things — the little wins in life.”

Moments later, Wilson set the record on an 11-foot pull-up jumper off an assist from teammate Jackie Young. Hammon took a timeout with 1:18 left in the game so Wilson could be recognized by a packed Michelob Ultra Arena.

“It was a combination [of wanting to get over it and excitement],” Wilson said. “I was literally like, ‘If it happens it happens but at least I’ve got two more games to try and get it.’

”I feel like it was the exact opposite for my teammates. It was like, ‘By any means necessary get A’ja the basketball.’”

Wilson finished with 29 points on 13-for-25 shooting with nine rebounds. She has already clinched what will be the largest points per game average in league history at 27 points per game and counting.

Guard Kelsey Plum didn’t take her first shot attempt until late in the first half with her first points of the game coming shortly after. Plum closed the night with 14 points followed by 13 points from the aforementioned Young.

Young’s 13 points came on five makes including three made three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists which tied for the game-high. As a team, Las Vegas shot 42% from beyond the arc while compiling 24 assists on 35 made field goals.

”Keeping the Big Four together isn’t always easy,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “Most of these happy marriages dissolve after three or four years, someone moves on — someone wants to go be the man or the woman somewhere else. The fact that they’ve all stuck it out, the No. 1 picks of Kelsey, Jack and A’ja and then bringing in [guard Chelsea Gray] and all these other pieces — it really stems from the Big Four’s chemistry and care for each other.”

The Aces have held their last eight opponents under 80 points per game. During the team’s recent stretch of seven wins in its last eight chances, the team is allowing 73 points per game.

“I didn’t say anything about Aja’s points in the huddle, I just wanted us to play right,” Hammon said. “If we play right, she’ll get her points — everybody will get their points.”