Jewell Loyd Reaches 6,000 Points and the Aces Remain Unstoppable
In a standout night, Jewell Loyd became the sixteenth player in WNBA history to surpass 6,000 points. Her contribution of 15 points was crucial for the Las Vegas Aces to extend their winning streak to 15 games, achieving a resounding 92-61 victory over the Chicago Sky. This victory positions Las Vegas in the running for second place in the WNBA playoffs. The Aces (29-14) will secure that spot and home-court advantage at least until the semifinals if they win on Thursday in Los Angeles or if Atlanta (29-14) loses to Connecticut on Wednesday. Las Vegas has the tiebreaker advantage over the Dream. Las Vegas’ winning streak, which is a franchise record, ties the 1998 Houston Comets for third place in the longest streaks in league history. The record is held by the 2001 Los Angeles Sparks with 18 consecutive wins, followed by the 2014 Phoenix Mercury with 16. Jackie Young also contributed 15 points, being one of the six Aces players to reach double figures. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus debuted with Las Vegas, scoring eight points in eight minutes. Parker-Tyus, who gave birth to her second child on July 1, joined the Aces after playing the previous 10 seasons with the Sky and the Atlanta Dream.On the Sky’s side, Kamilla Cardoso scored 13 points and 13 rebounds. Michaela Onyenwere also scored 13 points.
Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky did not participate in the game for the second consecutive time. She was suspended for the first half of Sunday’s game in Las Vegas for comments considered “detrimental to the team”. Additionally, Reese did not play the second half of that game due to a back injury, according to the team. He also did not participate in this game for the same reason. The Aces broke the game open in the third quarter, with an 11-point run that gave them a 57-38 lead.
