The Aces are a dangerous team. They are almost fully healthy, have been consistent on the court and are communicating well, which contributed to a 16-game winning streak. If those three things can continue throughout the playoffs, Las Vegas could see themselves back in the WNBA Finals.
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Staying healthy
This is the first time in the 2025 season where the entire Aces roster has been healthy. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus made her anticipated debut against the Chicago Sky on Tuesday, scoring 8 points in eight minutes. Against the Sparks on Thursday, she again scored 8 points, this time in six minutes and alongside 2 rebounds. Parker-Tyus was out for most of the season due to pregnancy and maternity leave.
The Aces faced relatively few injuries this season. Megan Gustafson was out until July 10, and A’ja Wilson faced a concussion and a wrist injury that kept her out for a few games. At the end of the season, NaLyssa Smith missed a game due to concussion protocol, and Kierstan Bell missed the last game due to a lower leg injury.
With those players now available, the Aces should be a dangerous force against Seattle. As of now, the Seattle Storm are only missing Katie Lou Samuelson, who has been out for the entire season after tearing her ACL in May.
The 16-game win streak has been made possible by the team’s continued health. Parker-Tyus was the only player out for a significant portion of the season, and has since found her role on the team, quickly fitting into the Aces’ system. This team, when healthy, can be a powerhouse. To succeed against a similarly healthy Seattle Storm, the Aces will need to maintain their health and skill.
Keeping up good communication
In all healthy relationships, whether it’s a team or a partner or a friendship, effective communication is very important. The communication between the Aces players has improved dramatically, leading them into the win streak. Their defense has improved dramatically since their first home match-up against the Minnesota Lynx, where they lost by 53 points. Since then, the Aces upped their average blocks to 5.2 per game in the last 15 games. They’ve also averaged 7.9 steals per game in that time, getting 13 steals against the Sparks.
The Aces have also been passing a lot more. While point guard Chelsea Gray averages 5.4 assists per game, the team overall is averaging 19.6 assists per game. This increased ball movement is allowing players to move around more and find open pockets in their opponents’ defenses. They openly communicate about who’s getting the ball, leading to better shots and, ultimately, wins.
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Being consistent
When head coach Becky Hammon swapped Bell and Jewell Loyd in the starting lineup, Hammon praised Bell for her consistency. While her stat sheet may not be flashy, she makes critical plays and defensive moves, enough to justify a spot in the starting lineup until the end of the season. Aaliyah Nye would take Bell’s spot for two games while she was injured.
Consistency in effort and results on the court has been a major factor in the Aces’ success. Throughout the season, Wilson has reliably scored 15 points per game, including multiple 30-plus point games. She even set the league record for most 30-plus point games with 13. This has allowed Wilson to break several league records this season, including hitting the only 30-point and 20-rebound double-double in WNBA history.
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But regularly playing at the top of their game seemed to be a struggle at the beginning of the season. Prior to their stunning 53-point loss to Minnesota on Aug. 2, the Aces had a record of just 14-13, including multiple losses to teams that would eventually miss the playoffs. However, after that second loss to the Lynx, the pieces began to fall into place. With Loyd providing consistent scoring from the bench, the Aces’ second unit has provided strong relief to the starting five, allowing them to maintain their leads.
The Aces were the second team to clinch a playoff spot, and also secured the second overall seed (Las Vegas’ 3-0 record in their series with Atlanta broke the seeding tie in their favor). Game 1 against the Seattle Storm will take place on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. ET at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be live on ESPN.
