Aces vs. Storm: A'ja Wilson Scores 30 for Her 49th Career 30-Point Game as Las Vegas Wins Fifth Straight

A'ja Wilson treated the free-throw line like a Las Vegas residency on Sunday night. She kept showing up, the crowd kept getting a show, and the Seattle Storm kept paying for the tickets.

Wilson scored 30 points, 16 of them at the line, and the Las Vegas Aces rolled past Seattle 98-77 in front of 10,263 at Michelob ULTRA Arena for their fifth straight win. It was the 49th 30-point game of her career, per the AP, which ranks second-most in history behind Diana Taurasi's 54. Jackie Young added 23 points and eight assists, and Chelsea Gray chipped in 15.

Seattle Landed the First Punch

The Storm actually came out with some juice. Seattle led 12-10 midway through the first quarter, and its biggest lead of the night was five points. That lasted right up until Young decided to end the competitive portion of the evening.

Starting at the 4:32 mark, Las Vegas scored 17 straight points to go up 27-12 with 1:40 left in the quarter. The AP counted the larger stretch as a 21-2 run, and Young scored 12 points during it. Las Vegas led 29-18 after one.

To Seattle's credit, the Storm did not fold. They scored the final basket of the first quarter and kept going, a 10-0 run that pulled them within 29-25 early in the second. Seattle twice got within two in the period, according to the AP, the last time at 45-43 with 1:02 left before halftime.

The Aces Shut the Door

That was as close as it got. Las Vegas closed the half with seven straight points to lead 52-43, then scored the first basket of the third, a 9-0 run that made it 54-43 at the 9:18 mark. Seattle hung around for a while, trailing 76-64 after three, but the Aces bridged the quarter break with an 8-0 spurt that pushed the lead to 81-64 early in the fourth.

Ta'Niya Latson put the bow on it, scoring eight points in the final 2:01, including a 26-foot 3-pointer, in only three minutes of action.

Wilson and Young Did the Heavy Lifting

Wilson made 7 of 13 field goals and 16 of 18 free throws, adding eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in 30 minutes. Her plus-24 tells you how much the game tilted when she was on the floor. For a fun bit of perspective, Wilson made more free throws by herself than the entire Storm roster did, 16 to 14. The AP noted the four-time MVP's 30-point games now trail only Taurasi's career total, which is the kind of company that makes a stat sheet feel like a museum exhibit.

Young was just as dangerous in a different way. She shot 10 of 15 from the field, hit three 3-pointers, dished eight assists and did not commit a single turnover. Gray made 4 of 8 shots and 5 of 6 free throws while running the offense, and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus gave the Aces eight points, six rebounds and two blocks off the bench with a plus-21. Jewell Loyd scored only four points but finished plus-25, the best mark on the floor. Mai Yamamoto added eight points with two 3-pointers in 21 minutes, giving Las Vegas the kind of bench support that turns a comfortable lead into a rout.

Seattle's Rookie Lit It Up

The best story on the Seattle side was rookie Flau'jae Johnson, who scored a season-high 29 points with five 3-pointers, per the AP. She went 10 of 21 from the field and 5 of 8 from deep, adding six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Dominique Malonga was nearly as productive, scoring 25 points on a blistering 10-of-13 shooting night.

The problem was everyone else. Awa Fam went 3 of 14, Natisha Hiedeman made 1 of 8 and missed all six of her 3-point tries, and Jordan Horston was held scoreless in 19 minutes. Seattle grabbed 11 offensive rebounds to just three for Las Vegas, but it gave the ball away 20 times.

The Turning Point

The end of the first half. Seattle had clawed back from a 15-point hole and was down only two with 1:02 to go before the break. Las Vegas then scored nine straight points across halftime, and the Storm never got that close again.

Stats That Matter

• 27-8: Fast-break points, Las Vegas. The Aces turned defense into layups all night.
• 25: Points the Aces scored off Seattle's 20 turnovers.
• 13: Las Vegas steals, spread across seven different players.
• 16 of 18: Wilson at the free-throw line.
• 11-3: Seattle's edge on the offensive glass, which barely mattered.

What It Means

Las Vegas moved to 29-13 overall and 14-7 at home, and our recount confirms the five-game winning streak the AP reported. Per the AP, Las Vegas now sits one game ahead of Atlanta in the race for third place, and the top four teams earn home court in the best-of-three first round.

The win also completed a season sweep of the Storm. Las Vegas won 101-91 in June and crushed Seattle 114-77 on the road just three days earlier. The Aces host Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Seattle dropped to 8-35, including 2-20 on the road. The Storm have lost 18 of their last 20, according to the AP, and our recount of the schedule backs that up. They have now lost four straight, and per the AP, they clinched the league's worst record this season. Seattle closes its season Wednesday at home against Dallas.

Closing Take

For Las Vegas, this was a tune-up, and it sounded like a team with its instruments in order. For Seattle, the season has been a long one, but Johnson gave the Storm something to hold onto. A rookie hanging a season-high 29 on the defending champions is the kind of film session that makes an offseason feel shorter. Pair her with Malonga's 25 on 10-of-13 shooting, and Seattle at least knows where its offense starts. The Aces got the win. Johnson got the highlight reel.

Stats from the official box score via ESPN. Additional context as reported by the Associated Press.