Chelsea Gray became only the fourth player in WNBA history to record 4,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 1,500 assists, and 100 blocks, a milestone she surpassed in the Las Vegas Aces’ 79-69 victory over the Sparks in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
Gray finished with 12 points and 11 assists in the first game of the Commissioner’s Cup at crypto.com Arena, as the Aces (6-3) moved into a tie for second place in the Western Conference.
“(This milestone) speaks a testament to who I’ve been able to play with,” Gray said. “I’ve been able to play with greats, and I am currently playing with greats. It makes me a better person and a better player.
“I enjoy playing this game. I enjoy making others better. That’s always been me.”
A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas with 25 points and 15 rebounds as the Aces collected their second straight win in the finale of their three-game road trip.
This was the third meeting between these teams after they split a pair of games last month, with each team trading road wins.
Former Aces star Kelsey Plum was unable to play after suffering an ankle injury earlier this week. She led the Sparks in scoring in both prior matchups, totaling 65 points.
Without Plum, the Sparks (4-5) struggled to create chances both on the perimeter and in the paint, shooting 31 percent from the field.
The 101 points allowed by the Aces in their prior meeting were the most they had given up all season. This time, they held Los Angeles to 69 points, tied for the fewest points they’ve allowed this season.
“Kelsey Plum is such a huge part of what they do offensively,” said Aces coach Becky Hammon. “They have been putting up points without her, but she is a different animal and makes you do different things defensively.
“I’m happy with the defensive effort tonight as we guarded what was in front of us, but we still have a lot of ways that we can get better.”
Meanwhile, the Aces continued to score down around the basket, posting 38 points in the paint after averaging 46.8 points per game in that area. Las Vegas took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Sparks 14-2 over the course of a three-minute stretch. The Aces led by as much as 15 points, never looking back.
The final game of their regular-season series will be in Las Vegas on Sept. 22, marking the final regular-season game at Michelob Ultra Arena. The Aces return home noon Saturday to take on the Golden State Valkyries.
