A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces secured a playoff spot Monday night after beating Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky 79-74 on the road.
The win was not a surprise to WNBA fans, as the Nevada team is on a impressive winning streak (11 games) that makes them one of the hottest franchises in the league.
The Aces are currently third overall in the standings – second on the Western Conference -, just behind the Minnesota Lynx, who made it to the finals in 2024, where they fell to the New York Liberty. Las Vegas hopes to continue with the winning ways in order to make a deep run in the playoffs.
A’ja Wilson takes Angel Reese to school
The 2024 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson took young star Angel Reese to school as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Chicago Sky 79-74 Monday night. Wilson recorded 18 points and nine rebounds, and Jackie Young had 22 points and seven assists.
A’ja won the individual battle against Reese, as she hit a nasty fadeaway shot while being defended by Angel, which shows that the young Chicago Sky player has a lot to learn if she wants to become one of the brightest stars in the league.
Las Vegas (25-14) won its 11th straight game to become the second team to clinch a playoff spot this season. Ariel Atkins led Chicago (9-28) with a season-high 30 points, and Kamilla Cardoso had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Angel Reese added 10 points and 17 rebounds for her league-leading 20th double-double this season.
A’ja makes a case for the MVP race
The WNBA MVP race could be heating back up during the final weeks of the 2025 regular season. Since late May, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has been the betting favorite to win MVP at the BetMGM online sportsbook.
While Collier has missed the past five games for Minnesota, a pair of contenders have started to apply pressure on her in this race. Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson is second in the latest WNBA MVP odds.
Collier’s case could be the easiest, assuming she’s able to return to action soon. She’s the best player on the best team in the league, leading the league with an average of 23.5 points per game while shooting 53.7% from the floor.
Wilson has recently emerged as Collier’s primary challenger after scoring 30-plus points in three consecutive games. She’s led the Aces (22-14) to eight wins in a row, as they have surged to fifth in the WNBA standings.
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