Daily Briefing — May 9, 2022: ACES HIGH — Las Vegas bests Seattle in primetime rivalry

Elsewhere, Los Angeles continued playing… interesting basketball, while Washington obliterated Minnesota (until a late comeback after the Mystics basically stopped trying).

But first, read:

• Off-ball guard Gabby Williams elevated Seattle’s defense to new heights in its season-opener
• The ink dried on Baylor’s three high-profile transfers, sure to keep them a competitor next season
• Basketball News’ Nekias Duncan and Mark Schindler ran through the W’s season-openers, with four thoughts on each game.
• Her Hoop Stats’ Jacob Mox envisioned how the WNBA could create practice squads.

Watch List, Monday, May 9

(All times in Eastern)

None

Sunday, May 8 recap

Los Angeles beat Indiana, 87-77. The Sparks did not hold a lead until the late first quarter, and didn’t go ahead by more than one score until a 12-0 run from the mid-second quarter through the mid-third; the Fever were tied as late as the early fourth, but 10 unanswered Los Angeles points wrapped things up. The Sparks out-shot Indiana by 10.7% from the field, but shot just 1-for-10 from three to the Fever’s 38.5%; the teams combined for 26 steals, part of 37 turnovers; the teams combined for 38 fouls. Eight of the 10 players who saw the floor for Los Angeles went 0-for-1 from three.

Center Liz Cambage led the Sparks with 22 points on 8-for-11 FG (0-1 3pt., 6-6 FT) and 11 rebounds for a double-double, plus two assists in 22 minutes; off-ball guard Brittney Sykes had 17 points on 5-for-12 from the field (0-1 3pt.) and 7-for-7 from the line, four rebounds, three assists, and five steals against three turnovers in 25 minutes; big Nneka Ogwumike notched 13 points on 6-for-14 shooting (0-1 3pt.), eight rebounds (five offensive), and three steals against three turnovers; backup point guard Chennedy Carter scored 12 points on 5-for-12 FG (0-1 3pt.) with five assists and two blocks against three turnovers; off-ball guard Lexie Brown tallied five points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3pt.), five rebounds, two assists, and two steals without a turnover.

Indiana was led point guard Destanni Henderson’s 19 points on 6-for-13 form the field, 3-for-4 from three, and 4-for-6 from three, three offensive rebounds, three assists, and two steals against four turnovers; combo guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 15 points on 6-for-20 shooting (2-8 3pt.), plus seven assists against two turnovers and five fouls; big NaLyssa Smith had 13 points on 6-for-12 FG (0-1 3pt.) and nine rebounds.

Washington beat Minnesota, 78-66. The game was within one possession in the late first quarter… and then the Mystics won the second 23-4; the Lynx made it a game late, after Wahsington took its foot well off the gas. The Mystics held Minnesota to 34.8% shooting; the teams combined for 39 fouls.

Washington was led by point guard Natasha Cloud’s 7-for-13 from the field and 4-for-7 from three, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals against three turnovers and four fouls; off-ball guard Ariel Atkins had 20 points on 6-for-17 shooting (1-5 3pt., 7-7 FT), four rebounds, and five assists; center Shakira Austin had a double-double of 13 points on 6-for-8 FG and 10 rebounds in her second WNBA game, against three turnovers and four fouls.

Combo forward Jessica Shepard led the Lynx with a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double on 6-for-12 from the field and 2-for-4 from three, with four offensive boards and four assists and no turnovers; center Sylvia Fowles had 13 points on 5-for-12 FG and eight rebounds (three offensive) in 28 minutes; bench guards Yvonne Turner and Odyssey Sims combined for 21 points on 7-for-16 from the field and 3-for-6 from three, with each recording three rebounds, three assists, and three turnovers.

Las Vegas beat Seattle, 85-74. The Aces jumped out to a 16-7 lead, before the Storm cut the gap to five or six for most of the second quarter; Seattle took the lead in the early fourth, but separate Vegas runs of seven- and six-straight points put it out of reach. The Aces out-shot the Storm by 9.3% from the field and 6.5% from three, while winning the rebounding battle by 15; the teams combined for 18 blocks and 40 fouls.

Las Vegas was led by center A’ja Wilson’s 20-point, 15-rebound double-double on 8-for-14 FG (1-1 3pt.), with two assists and five blocks; wing Jackie Young scored 19 points on 6-for-10 from the field (2-3 3pt.) and 5-for-6 from the line, plus three rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes; point guard Kelsey Plum had 18 points on 5-for-14 shooting (2-5 3pt., 6-6 FT), three rebounds, seven assists, and three steals against five turnovers and five fouls; combo forward Dearica Hamby notched a double-double with 10 points (5-12 FG, 0-1 3pt.) and a career-high 19 rebounds, plus two assists.

Big wing Breanna Stewart led Seattle with 21 points on 8-for-19 from the field and 3-for-7 from three, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals; combo guard Jewell Loyd scored 19 points on 6-for-14 shooting (3-8 3pt.) without a turnover in 28 minutes; backup combo guard Epiphanny Prince scored 11 points in 10 minutes on 3-for-4 FG (2-3 3pt.) without a turnover.

TDB Seattle wing minutes watch: Gabby Williams, 21 minutes; Briann January, 17; Stephanie Talbot, 13.