Las Vegas Aces defeated Seattle Storm 90-86 in WNBA
NaLyssa Smith recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds during the win on her birthday
A'ja Wilson – who was also celebrating her birthday – contributed with 29 points
Becky Hammon hailed NaLyssa Smith’s performance during the Las Vegas Aces' 90-86 win over the Seattle Storm.
Smith recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds during the win on her birthday, while A'ja Wilson – who was also celebrating her birthday – and Jackie Young also contributed with 29 and 26 points.
This was Smith’s third double-double of the season, and the 37th of her career, as the forward also surpassed 1,000 career rebounds in the win.
Head coach Hammon praised the impact Smith has had on her side following her trade to the Aces from the Dallas Wings at the end of June.
"I thought this was probably her best game with us," said Hammon.
"It looks like a double-double on a stats sheet, but I thought she did a lot of other things that helped us win.
"Whether that was deflections, communicating, finding her spots, she just keeps getting better and better in our system.
"We are having to talk to her a lot, but she is just getting settled in, and it is a good thing when people get comfortable in the sense of knowing their role and knowing what we need from them.
"She has been staying out of foul trouble, which is always good. That is something that we have really been preaching to her. Her post-defence has vastly improved, I think, since she has been here.
"It is a tribute to her intelligence, her work ethic, and her wanting to get it right and do it the way we want to do it.
"All that credit goes to her. She did a lot of things to help us get the win."
