Las Vegas Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks Prediction, Preview and Odds - 6/30/21
A pair of Western Conference teams lock up on the parquet floor in a WNBA tilt coming to you from the City of Angels. The Las Vegas Aces are on the road as they travel to face the Los Angeles Sparks Wednesday night in the first game of a two-game set. Las Vegas earned a hard-fought 95-92 home win in overtime over league-leading Seattle Sunday afternoon in their previous contest. Los Angeles was upended 88-79 on the road by Phoenix in their last contest Sunday evening. In the first meeting this season, the Aces cruised to a 97-69 home victory on May 21. That extended their win streak in the series to four games.
Las Vegas Aces Try to Build Off OT Win
Las Vegas won for the sixth time in seven games as they outlasted Seattle at home in a battle of the top two teams in the league Sunday afternoon. The Aces entered Tuesday holding the second seed in the WNBA playoff picture, a half-game behind the Storm for the top spot in the league. Las Vegas trailed by five at the half and by seven after three quarters before rallying to force overtime. In the extra session, the Aces took the lead for good on a Chelsea Gray pullup jumper with 10.6 seconds to play and went on to the win. Las Vegas shot 43.8% from the field, including six of 11 from three-point range, and overcame losing the rebounding battle 43-35. A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 22 points and 11 boards in the win.
The Aces come into this contest at the top of the pack in scoring offense, ranking first with 91.3 points per game. Las Vegas is 2nd in the league in rebounding (37.7 boards a game) and stand second in the league in assists by handing out 20.7 dimes per contest. The Aces have been average on the defensive end of the floor as they are 7th in the league in scoring defense by allowing 81 points a game. A’ja Wilson leads the Aces with 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and three assists per game. Liz Cambage (14.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks), Jackie Young (12.6 points, 3.9 rebounds) and Kelsey Plum (13.3 points) are all solid secondary options on the offensive end. Coach Bill Laimbeer also can call on Chelsea Gray (12.1 points, 6.5 assists), Dearica Hamby (11.2 points, 6.1 boards), Riquna Williams (9.2 points), Ji-Su Park, Emma Cannon and Destiny Slocum to contribute on both ends of the floor. Las Vegas is first in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 47.1% from the field as a team this season. The Aces are 11th in the league in threes per game (5.1) and second in three-point shooting at 37.3% on the year. Las Vegas is currently fourth in free throw shooting at 83.4% on the season.
Los Angeles Sparks Hoping to Regroup
Los Angeles lost for the third time in four games and the fifth time in their last seven contests as they were burned by the Mercury on the road Sunday evening. The Sparks fell to 6-8 on the season and entered Tuesday 10th in the WNBA standings, half a game behind the Liberty for the final playoff spot. Los Angeles played a tight game for slightly more than a half before things slipped away. The Sparks were up two after the opening quarter, trailed by four at the half and tied the game in the opening 90 seconds of the second half. Los Angeles then gave up a 13-2 run to trail by 11 with 3:46 to play in the third quarter and couldn’t get closer than eight after that. The Sparks shot 41.9% from the field, including six of 20 from three-point range, and lost the rebounding battle 44-31. Erica Wheeler paced Los Angeles with 21 points in a losing effort.
On the season, Los Angeles is 11th in the league in scoring offense as they average 75.7 points per game. The Sparks are last in rebounding (29 boards per game) and 12th in assists (14.9) this season. Los Angeles is 3rd in scoring defense as they give up an average of 79.3 points a night. Nneka Ogwumike leads the team with 16.4 points plus seven rebounds a game this season. Chiney Ogwumike (nine points, 5.7 boards) and Kristi Tolliver (9.8 points) are solid secondary scoring options. Derek Fisher hopes to get more from role players like Brittney Sykes, Nia Coffey (8.5 points), Erica Wheeler (13.1 points, 4.4 assists), Te’a Cooper (10.3 points), Amanda Zahui B (10.8 points, 5.5 boards) and Arella Guirantes. Los Angeles is 11th in field goal percentage on the season as they shoot 40.6% from the field as a team on the year. The Sparks are fifth in three-pointers per game (7.6) and 6th in three-point shooting as they convert 34.7% from beyond the arc this season. Los Angeles is 11th in success at the charity stripe as they cash in 74.2% of their attempts on the year. Jasmine Walker was lost for the season with a torn ACL that she suffered against Las Vegas May 21. Chiney Ogwumike missed the last 11 games with a knee injury and is out indefinitely. Nneka Ogwumike is expected to miss four to six weeks with a knee sprain sustained against the Wings June 1. She is expected to be out until early to mid-July.
Pick: Las Vegas Aces
We saw the Aces batter the Sparks by 28 points in the first meeting this season and while this one may be more competitive, the fact remains that they are the better team. Las Vegas handed Seattle two of their four losses so far this season after prevailing at home Sunday. Meanwhile, Los Angeles cut Bria Holmes and terminated the hardship deal of Kristine Anigwe Tuesday. The team is expected to sign Lauren Cox to fill Holmes’ spot but the fact that both Ogwumike sisters are missing in action is too much for the Sparks to handle against a high-octane Aces team. Las Vegas wins this one handily.
Total: Over
We saw Las Vegas pile up the points in their win over Seattle Sunday. That marked the ninth time in 15 games that the Aces have put up at least 90 points: they have cracked the 100-point mark on four occasions and have been held under 83 points just twice. Both those contests came against the Sun, and, though the Sparks are good defensively, we saw them struggle against the Aces in the first meeting. The last 10 meetings have split down the middle in regard to which side of the total the final score fell on. With the way the Aces are piling up points though, you have to look for this one to end up over the mark.
