The 11-4 Las Vegas Aces host the 10-6 Golden State Valkyries this Sunday at Michelob ULTRA Arena, with tip-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET. Las Vegas enters the matchup with a 5-1 all-time series lead over the expansion franchise following an 84-79 victory against them on June 6. A’ja Wilson continues to build her case for a record fifth WNBA MVP award after averaging 30.0 points and 9.0 rebounds to secure Western Conference Player of the Week honors.
What We Know
- Wilson currently leads the league in multiple categories, producing 26.1 points and 2.2 blocks per game on 52.6 percent shooting.
- The Aces carry strong momentum into the weekend, winning seven of their last eight games.
- During the June 6 meeting, Wilson recorded 28 points and 14 rebounds, while Gabby Williams led Golden State with 27 points.
The defensive assignment against Wilson falls to Valkyries starting center Kiah Stokes. Stokes played alongside Wilson in Las Vegas, winning three WNBA titles in four seasons before joining the Golden State expansion roster. Stokes addressed the physical challenge of defending her former frontcourt partner ahead of the game.
“I’m not gonna lie, I don’t like being on the other end of it,” Stokes said. “But she is a great player. It’s hard to stop her.”
Las Vegas aims to protect their home court and extend their current winning streak. A fifth MVP trophy for Wilson would permanently separate her from the rest of WNBA history.