- What: WNBA Regular Season Game
- When: Sunday, August 18
- Who: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Las Vegas Aces
- Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
- Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
The Los Angeles Sparks (6-20) will travel to take on the reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces (16-9), on Sunday, August 18.
Both teams will play the second game of a back-to-back, but Las Vegas has the advantage of not having to travel.
Los Angeles Sparks
The Sparks, who have been struggling this season, held a 10-point lead over Chicago heading into the fourth quarter on Saturday.
However, their offense faltered, scoring only 12 points in the final frame, leading to another loss. Los Angeles now stands at 6-20 for the season and is 2-10 since rookie Cameron Brink suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Bounce back today.
???? Las Vegas Aces
⏰ 3 PM PT
???? @NBATV pic.twitter.com/NluA6oDzYB— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) August 18, 2024
The situation is further complicated by the likely absence of starting point guard Aari McDonald for the game against the Aces.
McDonald leads the team in assists per game and ranks in the 86th percentile for points per shot on catch-and-shoot jumpers.
Additionally, Lexie Brown, who is third on the team in assists behind McDonald and Dearica Hamby, is out indefinitely.
The loss of McDonald and Brown is a major setback for a Sparks team that ranks 10th in offensive rating. To remain competitive, the Sparks must maximize the playmaking abilities of their healthy players, particularly Hamby.
Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas team recently suffered a disappointing 12-point loss to the New York Liberty.
While the Liberty are known for their superior performance, the Aces, the reigning back-to-back champs, still boast the best player in the world, along with talented players like Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray.
Kelsey Plum faced some difficulties in the last game against New York, going 0-for-8 from three-point range. This marked only the second time this season that she failed to make a three-point shot.
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???? The House
⌚️ 3:00PM PT
???? @NBATV // @FOX5Vegas // SSSEN#ALLINLV pic.twitter.com/fbakpluuW2— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 18, 2024
However, given her skill, Plum will likely make a strong comeback in the upcoming games.
On a positive note, A’ja Wilson continues to show her dominance on the court, averaging 27.2 points per game with a true shooting percentage 6.6% higher than the league average.
This combination of high-volume scoring and efficiency sets her apart as an exceptional player.
Sky-Aces Best Bet
The Aces are known for their strong performance in both offense and defense. They have the lowest turnover percentage on offense, allowing the lowest offensive rebound rate and the third-lowest free-throw attempt rate on defense.
Additionally, they surrender the fewest shots in the restricted area and the second-fewest corner attempts per game.
This means they typically win the shot quality battle and limit mistakes, making them successful against undisciplined teams.
On the other hand, the Sparks struggle with effective field goal percentage and have a high turnover rate. Without McDonald and Brown, they may face difficulty in consistently generating high-value shots, so their offense may struggle in this matchup.
Defensively, the Sparks have been weak since Brink’s injury, particularly in paint defense and defending against dribble penetration, which doesn’t bode well against the Aces.
Given these factors, the Aces have significant advantages in this matchup and will likely be motivated coming off a recent loss.
I’d take the Aces to roll in this one and dominate the Sparks.
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