The Las Vegas Aces (16-8) host the league-leading New York Liberty (22-4) for the second time within the 2024 season this Saturday, Aug. 17. The renewal of one of many WNBA’s most intense rivalries is scheduled to tip-off at 4:00 p.m. ET and can be televised nationally on CBS.
It’s at all times a must-watch sport every time the Aces and Liberty play, and the primary matchup of the season between the 2 groups was no completely different. Again in June, the Liberty outlasted the Aces 90-82, using a dozen made 3-pointers and a career-high 34 factors from heart Jonquel Jones to a win in Las Vegas.
Issues will look a bit of completely different this time round, nonetheless, with Chelsea Grey again within the lineup for Las Vegas. The star level guard was nonetheless recovering from a foot damage suffered in final 12 months’s WNBA Finals when the Aces misplaced to the Liberty earlier this season, and whereas Las Vegas stored the sport shut towards its rival, Grey’s absence was noticeable when it got here to the dearth of halfcourt playmaking and capturing that solely she will present.
Grey’s return has coincided with an Aces scorching streak that has made Las Vegas look far more just like the powerhouse that has gained two-consecutive WNBA championships than the staff that started the 2024 season at 6-6. The Aces have gone 10-2 since then, and whereas Grey herself remains to be enjoying herself again into sport form, her affect on her staff has been simple. In these 12 video games, Las Vegas has had one of the best offense within the league, scoring 108.8 factors per 100 possessions, with Grey’s unequalled passing additional elevating the abilities of fellow Aces stars A’ja Wilson, Jackie Younger and Kelsey Plum.
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The Liberty, in the meantime, have been with out an vital participant of their very own in Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Typically thought-about to be New York’s greatest defensive participant on the perimeter, Laney-Hamilton was additionally capturing 38 p.c on 3-pointers when she underwent a knee process that’s anticipated to maintain her out by way of late August. New York nonetheless has loads of perimeter protection, with gamers like Kayla Thornton and Kennedy Burke stepping up in Laney-Hamilton’s absence as centerpieces Jones, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu deal with the remainder. The staff is in first place for good motive, and the truth that the Liberty have been capable of preserve their league-leading tempo with out one in every of their key starters speaks to their depth.
Regardless, Saturday’s sport is an effective alternative for the Aces to return out of the Olympic break on the appropriate foot. Doing it towards one of the best staff within the league and their largest rival actually wouldn’t go unnoticed, both.
Lynx search for two in a row towards Mystics
The Minnesota Lynx (18-8) bought again to work of their first post-Olympic sport, defeating the Washington Mystics (6-20) final Thursday in a triumphant return for Group USA gold medalist Napheesa Collier. Simply two days later, the season sequence shifts to Washington, the place the Lynx will look to maintain up their momentum.
Minnesota has been one of many season’s nice surprises, having fun with an All-WNBA-caliber efficiency from Collier (19.9 factors, 10.3 rebounds and a couple of.2 steals per sport) whereas fielding the WNBA’s greatest protection so far, permitting 93 factors per 100 possessions. Different groups could have extra star energy, however fewer have been extra profitable on the court docket than the Lynx, who’re presently in third place within the WNBA standings.
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The Mystics have had no such luck within the first 12 months of a rebuild, one which has been additional hampered by accidents to key gamers in Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin. The duo has performed a mixed 11 video games so far in 2024, although the Mystics bought each gamers again final Thursday towards Minnesota. How Washington chooses to deal with its oft-injured gamers down the stretch of a season during which it would most likely not make the playoffs stays to be seen.
Recreation info
Minnesota Lynx (18-8) vs. Washington Mystics (6-20)
When: Saturday, August 17 at 2 p.m. ET
The place: Leisure and Sports activities Area in Washington, DC
The right way to watch: CBS
Lynx damage report:
Mystics damage report: Shakira Austin (possible; hip), DiDi Richards (out; Achilles)
New York Liberty (22-4) vs. Las Vegas Aces (16-8)
When: Saturday, August 17 at 4 p.m. ET
The place: Michelob ULTRA Area in Las Vegas, NV
The right way to watch: CBS
Liberty damage report: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (out; knee)
Aces damage report:
Chicago Sky (10-15) vs. Los Angeles Sparks (6-19)
When: Saturday, August 17 at 5 p.m. ET
The place: Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles, CA
The right way to watch: WNBA League Cross, Spectrum SportsNet, CW 26
Sky damage report: Chennedy Carter (questionable; sickness), Elizabeth Williams (out; knee)
Sparks damage report: Cameron Brink (out; knee), Lexie Brown (out; sickness), Aari McDonald (out; foot), Layshia Clarendon (out; psychological well being)
