The Las Vegas Aces are coming home with more than a banner waiting.
They are coming home tested.
After taking what Becky Hammon called “a big lump” in their season opener, the Aces answered with four straight road wins, moved to 4-1 and now return to Michelob ULTRA Arena for their first game of the season at “The House.”
Las Vegas hosts the Los Angeles Sparks at 5 p.m. Saturday. Before tipoff, the Aces will raise their newest championship banner, and the first 7,500 fans will receive a replica banner.
The ceremony gives the night its shine. The matchup gives it its edge.
Former Aces guard Kelsey Plum returns to Michelob ULTRA Arena with Los Angeles, bringing a hot start of her own. Plum enters averaging 26.8 points and 5.5 assists for the Sparks, who are 1-3 but still have one of the league’s most dangerous early scorers.
A’ja Wilson counters with 25.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 blocks per game after earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors. Wilson helped lead the Aces through a perfect 4-0 road trip that included two wins at Connecticut and an 85-84 escape at Atlanta.
A fast response after a hard opener
Hammon said the biggest thing she has seen from the Aces early is resiliency.
“We took a big lump at our home opener, and then to bounce back and win four on the road is pretty impressive for this time of the season,” Hammon said.
The Atlanta win might have said the most. Las Vegas led by 19, watched the Dream storm back, then survived when Chelsea Gray hit the go-ahead jumper with 3.6 seconds left and stole the ball in the final second.
Hammon said the Aces got into Atlanta at 4 a.m. Saturday and played Sunday afternoon.
“That was a really gritty win,” Hammon said. “Kind of ran out of gas there in the fourth quarter, but luckily we had enough in the tank to finish it off.”
Chelsea, Chennedy and the new shape of the Aces
Gray’s closing sequence in Atlanta gave the Aces another reminder of what Hammon already trusts.
“We know she’s one of the greatest clutch players of all time,” Hammon said. “That’s not a surprise. You haven’t been paying attention if you don’t know that already.”
Las Vegas has also found a new early-season weapon in Chennedy Carter. Carter has scored 97 points through five games off the bench, giving the Aces speed, rim pressure and full-court defensive energy.
Hammon said Carter has fit both on and off the court.
“That firepower off the bench and just the pace,” Hammon said. “I’m asking her to play a really high-intensity role in the sense of picking up 94 feet and rim pressure from 94 feet.”
Aces Care keeps the week bigger than basketball
The week also included an off-court piece of the Aces’ return home. As part of the mental health and wellness pillar under Aces Care, the team hosted 100 Title 1 Clark County School District students for “The Power Within” mental health summit presented by BetterHelp on Thursday.
The event included guest speakers and breakout sessions with nonprofit and mental health organizations, including NAMI Southern Nevada, Find Your Anchor and UNLV mental health professionals.
Banner night, then back on the road
Saturday is also a brief home stop. After facing the Sparks, the Aces head back out for three more road games: May 28 at Dallas, May 31 at Golden State and June 2 at Los Angeles.
Their next home game after banner night is June 6 against Golden State.
That makes Saturday more than a celebration. It is the Aces’ only home game before June, a reunion with Plum and the first chance for the team to bring its road-tested identity back to the building where another championship banner is about to rise.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
