The Las Vegas Aces Take Down The Washington Mystics To Sweep The Season Series (7-14-24)
By: Xavier Jones
Headline Photo Credit: Arturo Jones-LMS Network
On Sunday, July 14, 2024, the third and final matchup between the Washington Mystics and the two-time defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces took place at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC. The Mystics were looking to avoid being swept in their season series against the Aces. With the All-Star game and the 2024 Olympics looming, both teams were looking to build some momentum going into the upcoming break.
In the first quarter, Washington came out firing from all cylinders, especially from 3. Leading the way for the Mystics was Ariel Atkins, who had 16 points in the first quarter while shooting 4/5 from the 3-point line. Washington as a whole shot 86 percent from deep. In the last matchup in DC, the Mystics were able to jump out quickly on the Aces, but Vegas managed to fight back and chip away at the lead until they captured it. At the end of the first quarter, Washington was ahead 31-20 over the Las Vegas Aces. Entering the second quarter, it looked like the Mystics had a vice grip on the game until the Aces locked in on both ends of the court. Vegas would manage to hold the Mystics to only 12 points in the second quarter while scoring 20 points in the quarter themselves. Led by Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson, who combined for 22 of the team’s 40 points, were able to cut their deficit from double digits to trailing by 3 at halftime. For the Mystics, Ariel Atkins led the way by 21 points in the first half.
Coming out of halftime, both teams started off cold by missing some easy buckets. As the third quarter continued, Plum and Wilson began to establish their dominance and leave their imprint on the game. Although the Aces duo were beginning to cook, Atkins’s hot shooting was spilling over into the third quarter. The third quarter was tightly contested, with both teams exchanging the lead several times. However, the Aces outscored Washington 25-19 in the third quarter to take a 65-62 lead going into the fourth quarter. Entering the fourth quarter, Ariel Atkins had tied her career high in points with 32, but no one else on the Mystics really came close to helping with the scoring load. The struggles for Washington to score and keep pace with Las Vegas continued throughout the fourth quarter. The Mystics had plenty of opportunities to cut into the Aces lead, but Vegas’ defense and Washington not making shots led to them being outscored 24-15 in the fourth quarter. While Wilson and the Aces were asserting their dominance, it seemed like everything was going wrong for Washington. Las Vegas would go on to win the game and sweep the season series against Washington, with the final score of 89-77. A’ja Wilson led the way with 28 points and 17 rebounds. Kelsey Plum chipped in with 22 points and Tiffany Hayes scored 17 points off the bench. Although Ariel Atkins had a career-high 36 points, it just wasn’t enough against the two-time defending champions.
The Washington Mystics fall to 6-18 on the season and their next game is Tuesday, July 16 at 11:30 am at the Capital One Arena. The Las Vegas Aces improve to 16-7, and their next game is Tuesday, July 16, against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky.
