WNBA Wrap: Las Vegas Aces Record 14th Win In A Row; Indiana Fever Clinch Play-Off Spot

The Las Vegas Aces pushed their team-record winning streak to 14 games and moved into a tie for second place in the WNBA standings with an 80-66 victory over the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

Las Vegas (28-14) set a franchise mark Thursday by defeating the league-best Minnesota Lynx 97-87 to extend their win streak to 13, and on Sunday, the Aces took advantage of lowly Chicago (10-32) and the absence of Angel Reese to continue that run.

The Aces are tied with the Atlanta Dream for second place in the league, with Minnesota (33-9) having wrapped up the No. 1 overall seed and home-court advantage in the play-offs. The Phoenix Mercury (27-15) are one game behing Las Vegas and Atlanta.

Las Vegas' 14-game winning streak matches the 2021 Connecticut Sun for the fourth-longest run in WNBA history behind the 2001 Los Angeles Sparks (18), 2014 Mercury (16) and 1998 Houston Comets (15).

A'ja Wilson had 31 points and 11 rebounds for the Aces on Sunday to give the reigning and three-time WNBA MVP a league-record 13 games this season with at least 30 points.

Reese did not play for the second straight game for the Sky after she was suspended by the WNBA for Friday's loss to the Indiana Fever for technical foul accumulation.

Chicago then banned the second-year forward for the first half of Sunday's game after Reese voiced her frustrations with the organization and said she “might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me” if the franchise doesn't begin moving in the right direction.

Reese, though, didn't suit up at all after the Sky announced at halftime she would not play because of a back injury.

Fever roll past Mystics to book spot in postseason

It may not be the way they envisioned it, but the Indiana Fever are back in the postseason following a 94-65 road rout of the Washington Mystics.

A return trip to the play-offs is quite an accomplishment for an Indiana team that lost five players for the season due to injuries: 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark (groin), guards Sydney Colson (knee), Aari McDonald (foot) and Sophie Cunningham (knee) and forward Chloe Bibby (knee).

Forward Natasha Howard led the way for the Fever (23-20) with 17 points, Aliyah Boston added 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and Aerial Powers contributed 15 points, six boards, four assists and two steals.

Indiana won for the fourth time in six games to secure a second straight play-off berth following a seven-year postseason absence.

Washington, who got 17 points from star rookie guard Sonia Citron, fell to 16-27 with their ninth straight loss and will miss the play-offs for the second season in a row.

Sparks pull away from Wings to avoid elimination from play-off contention

The Los Angeles Sparks remained in the hunt for a berth in the postseason by opening the fourth quarter with a 16-0 run and defeating the WNBA-worst Dallas Wings 91-77.

Julie Allemand had career highs of 21 points and five steals while going 8 of 8 from the field, and Rae Burrell scored 11 of Los Angeles’ 16 straight points to begin the final quarter after the Sparks led by just two entering the fourth.

To end a four-year play-off drought, ninth-place Los Angeles (20-22) need to win their final two regular-season games and have the eighth-place Seattle Storm (22-21) lose Tuesday to the Golden State Valkyries.

Dallas (9-34) was led by 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers, who had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds in the Wings’ 10th straight defeat.