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A’ja Wilson scores 21 after snagging third MVP award, helps Aces beat Storm 78-67 in playoff opener

A’ja Wilson scores 21 after snagging third MVP award, helps Aces beat Storm 78-67 in playoff opener

Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) shoots the ball near Seattle Storm forwards Gabby Williams (5) and Nneka Ogwumike (3) during a first-round WNBA basketball playoff game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
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Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) shoots the ball near Seattle Storm forwards Gabby Williams (5) and Nneka Ogwumike (3) during a first-round WNBA basketball playoff game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Updated 6:56 PM UTC, September 23, 2024
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 21 points and blocked five shots after earning her record-tying third MVP award earlier Sunday, and the two-time defending-champion Las Vegas Aces held the Seattle Storm to a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter in pulling away for a 78-67 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-three series.

Wilson made just 1 of 8 shots as Las Vegas missed 16 of 18 altogether and fell behind 18-9 after one quarter. She had four points at halftime and Seattle led 42-38 after Jordan Horston and Mercedes Russell both made two free throws in the final 43 seconds.

But the third quarter was a different story as Wilson sank seven shots with a 3-pointer, accounting for 15 of the Aces’ 26 points. Skylar Diggins-Smith had a three-point play in the final minute and the Storm took a 65-64 lead into the final period.

Kelsey Plum missed her first seven shots, but she had the first basket of the final quarter at the 7:04 mark to give Las Vegas the lead. Seattle missed its first seven shots, and back-to-back layups from Wilson and Tiffany Hayes pushed the Aces’ lead to 70-65 with 4:49 left to play. Diggins-Smith hit two free throws for the Storm’s first points to get them within three, but Chelsea Gray had two baskets in an 8-0 run to wrap up the victory. Seattle missed all 13 of its shots and turned the ball over six times in the final 10 minutes.

Hayes finished with 20 points and five steals off the bench for fourth-seeded Las Vegas. Gray had 16 points and seven assists. Jackie Young added 12 points and seven rebounds. Wilson had eight boards. She joined Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson as the league’s only three-time MVPs.

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Diggins-Smith led fifth-seeded Seattle with 16 points and eight assists. Gabby Williams finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Horston had 10 points off the bench.

Seattle beat Las Vegas by 13 the first time they met this season, but the Aces closed with three straight victories over the Storm — two by double digits.

Las Vegas will host Game 2 on Tuesday. Seattle would host Game 3 on Thursday, if necessary.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

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This story has been corrected to show a possible Game 3 would be Thursday, not Wednesday.