A’ja Wilson has continued to pile up career milestones this WNBA season, and that was the case again Sunday night.
While making her case for a fifth career MVP award with two regular-season games left, the Aces center posted a game-high 30 points and surpassed the 1,000-point mark for the season as Las Vegas defeated the Seattle Storm 98-77 at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Wilson became the only player in league history to record multiple 1,000-point seasons, reaching the milestone for the second time in her career in 42 games. She has 1,021 points.
Wilson previously accomplished the feat in 2024, reaching 1,000 points in 38 games.
“The first time it was cool, obviously, because it was the first time that’s ever happened. But this go-round I was just trying to get the win, honestly,” Wilson said. “I think that this is a crucial time for us and we can’t really slack off in different situations.
“I didn’t really get caught up in a lot of that but I don’t take this moment for granted. When you’re able to be in the record books in the WNBA it is a pretty big deal considering how many players have played this game.”
Aces guard Jackie Young added 23 points and eight assists.
She continued a career season in which she is part of only two pairs of teammates to have both players rank among the top 10 in scoring.
Young entered the game averaging a career-best 19.3 points per game after her career-high 35-point performance Thursday.
With the season sweep of the Storm, the Aces improved to 29-13 and 14-7 at home while extending their winning streak to five games.
Coupled with an Indiana Fever loss to the Washington Mystics earlier Sunday, the Aces can secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs by winning their final regular-season home game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday.
Las Vegas still has a chance to move up to the No. 2 seed, sitting two games behind Golden State. The Aces remained one game ahead of the Atlanta Dream and two games in front of the Fever.
While Las Vegas started slowly Sunday, scoring only three points over the first three minutes, a switch flipped on following a timeout called by Aces coach Becky Hammon with 7:08 to go in the first quarter.
Following the break, the Aces’ offense erupted for 24 points while holding the Storm to just four over a five-minute stretch and building a 15-point lead.
In addition to the performances from Young and Wilson, Las Vegas received a 28-point contribution from its bench. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Ta’Niya Latson and Mai Yamamoto each added eight points, including a combined six 3-pointers.
The Aces shot 42 percent from 3-point range and made 23 of 29 attempts from the free-throw line while forcing 20 Seattle turnovers, giving the Aces 34 forced turnovers over the two-game stretch against the Storm.
“Cheyenne comes in and helps us with the points on the glass,” Hammon said. ” Jewell impacts the game in a certain kind of way defensively and then (Ta’Niya) got in there and unloaded eight points real quick.
”We need that bench production and we need those points coming in. It is going to have to be by committee.”
The WNBA playoffs begin Sept. 27.
Contact Donovan Hicks at dhicks@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HicksSports on X.
Up next
Who: Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks
Where: Michelob Ultra Arena
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV, streaming: ESPN