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The Aces are looking to snap a five-game losing streak and make one final effort toward the playoffs, and they’ll have a good chance at picking up a win as they host the last-place Indiana Fever. The Fever already have their eyes on the draft, but are playing with house money in Vegas. The Aces should take care of business, but Tiffany Mitchell and company would love to play spoiler.
Indiana Fever (5-25) at Las Vegas Aces (12-18)
When: Saturday, August 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center | TICKETS
How to watch: WNBA League Pass (worldwide streaming), AT&T SportsNet - Rocky Mountain (local market)
Injuries: Nothing new to report.
Storylines to follow
Last meeting: Aces 88, Fever 74 (July 22)
The Aces’ last victory prior to their losing streak actually came against the Indiana Fever, and they will need to replicate that result if they want any chance of keeping their playoff dreams alive.
Although the Fever have been the league’s punching bag this season, they boast a couple of impressive road wins against the Sparks and the Lynx. With capable scorers in Tiffany and Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever always have a chance if those two can get going. The Aces’ defense on the perimeter has been subpar the last two games, so it will be interesting to see if head coach Bill Laimbeer has made that a point of emphasis.
The Aces will also need their All-Star duo to get back on track, as both A’ja Wilson and Kayla McBride have been struggling of late. The Fever’s poor defense could be just what the team needs to get itself back on track as it looks to make one final playoff push. This could be one of the final opportunities for the Aces to gain ground on the Dallas Wings, who are currently ahead by 2.5 games. With the Dream having taken care of the Wings earlier today, if the Aces can beat the Fever tonight, then the Aces’ August 17 matchup against the Wings will be very interesting.
But it is important that the Aces don’t look past the Fever, who are looking to play spoiler and bounce back from an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Mercury. The Fever have played the Aces close in both meetings, with A’ja Wilson and Kayla McBride being the difference in both games.
It is not understating it that this game is pretty much the season for the Aces. Tonight will be a great chance for the Aces to gain ground on the Dallas Wings and put themselves in a position to where they are closer to controlling their own destiny.