A'ja Wilson Lifts Aces Past Tempo

A'ja Wilson scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Toronto Tempo 93-73 on Friday night, the Associated Press reported. Jackie Young added 23 points and eight assists with zero turnovers. Chelsea Gray had 11. It was Las Vegas's first game without NaLyssa Smith, who is out for the season after a left-leg injury in Sunday's 88-78 win over the same Toronto club. The Aces are 27-13. Toronto is 11-28.

Wilson and Young did the nightly thing. Young's 3-pointer broke an 8-8 tie, and Las Vegas led the rest of the way, the AP wrote. The Aces finished the first quarter up 27-17, shooting 10 of 20 and 6 of 12 from three. Toronto turned it over nine times in the opening period. Halftime was 56-39. Las Vegas shot 50 percent (18 of 36) in the first half, cooled to 1 of 6 from deep in the second, and still never handed the lead back.

How did the Aces beat the Tempo?

Foul line, then the paint. Toronto committed 12 personal fouls in the first half. The Aces went 13 of 14 from the stripe before the break, the AP said. Isabelle Harrison led Toronto with 15 points. Laura Juskaite had 14, Kia Nurse 12, and Kiki Rice and reserve Kiana Williams had 10 each. The visitors never solved Wilson inside or Young on the move. A 20-point final margin is a statement on a night the frontcourt was a body short.

The standings part matters more than the box. Friday's win kept Las Vegas one game up on Indiana for third in the WNBA playoff race. The Fever beat Connecticut 111-91 on the same night. Las Vegas now sits in that third-place chair heading into the FIBA Women's World Cup break. The Aces visit the Seattle Storm on Thursday, Sept. 17. Toronto visits the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday.

What the A'ja Wilson night means

Smith is gone for the year. Wilson just posted 27 and 8 anyway. That is the Aces' entire identity in one line. Smacktok already logged the NaLyssa Smith season-ending injury and Friday's other WNBA board with Caitlin Clark and the Fever. The search this morning is A'ja Wilson Aces. The answer is 27 points, a 93-73, and third place still theirs.

World Cup break is next for a chunk of the league. Wilson will keep getting the same query every night until September. Points, rebounds, and whether Las Vegas can hold third without Smith. Friday was the first test. It was not close.

A'ja Wilson Aces FAQ

How many points did A'ja Wilson score? 27, plus eight rebounds, in a 93-73 win over the Toronto Tempo on Friday.

What was the Aces vs Tempo score? Las Vegas 93, Toronto 73. The Aces led after Young's 3 broke an 8-8 tie and never trailed again.

When do the Aces play next? At the Seattle Storm on Thursday, Sept. 17, after the FIBA Women's World Cup break, per the Associated Press.