Mercury outmatched by dominant Aces in front of sellout crowd
Jul 11, 2023, 9:20 PM
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jackie Young scored 23 points to lead three players with at least 20 points and the Las Vegas Aces coasted to a 98-72 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night.
Chelsea Gray had 21 points and 11 assists and A’ja Wilson 20 with eight rebounds in the rout. Kelsey Plum, coming off a franchise record 40-point game, added 17 points for Las Vegas (18-2), which came into the game leading the league in scoring at 93.6 points a game.
The Aces’ third sellout of the season included Mike Krzyzewski and Bob Arum sitting with Las Vegas owner Mark Davis. Saturday’s All-Star game in Las Vegas is also sold out. There were also a host of NBA stars in attendance, with some, like four-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell, greeting Wilson coming out of halftime.
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Michaela Onyenwere scored 18 points off the bench for the Mercury (4-15), who are last in the league in scoring at 77 points a game. Brittney Griner added 13 and Diana Taurasi had 11 moving her within 86 points of 10,000 for her career.
Las Vegas led 26-22 after one quarter but stretched that to 52-34 at the half. The Aces dominated with a 36-12 difference on points in the paint to go with 52% shooting.
The Aces led by as many as 36 in the second half and after hitting just one 3-pointer in the first half they made eight after the break.
