Recap: Mercury left with no chance against Aces due to another show put on by Gray and Young

Chelsea Gray had 21 points, six rebounds and 11 assists and her Las Vegas Aces blew out the Phoenix Mercury 98-72 Tuesday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Jackie Young added a game-high 23 points to go along with six assists while A’ja Wilson notched 20 points, eight boards and two blocks and Kelsey Plum posted 17 points, five rebounds and four helpers. Young was 9-of-13 from the field and 2-of-4 from three. Gray was 3-of-4 from distance.

It was the Aces’ second convincing win in a row following their second loss of the season, suffered last Friday. They improved to 18-2 while the Mercury fell to 4-15.

After a 13-0 run made it 47-27 Vegas at 3:21 remaining in the second quarter, the Aces led by at least 17 the rest of the way and by as much as 36. They turned the ball over just four times on the evening.

Vegas opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 32-22. Gray scored all six points on two free throws, a layup and a mid-range fade. The Aces regained a 10-point lead when Plum made an incredible move before finding Cayla George in the left corner for a three that made it 39-29. Then, at a timeout, a Shey Peddy layup at the shot clock buzzer was taken off the board, making it a 12-point Vegas lead. Young converted on a 3-point play out of that timeout and then notched another 3-point play one minute and 24 seconds later to complete the 13-0 run and make it 47-27.

Brittney Griner came out looking to score and did so on a driving layup that made it 2-0. Back-to-back fadeaway shots (one from Diana Taurasi and one from Moriah Jefferson) from around the right corner of the free throw line comprised Phoenix’s next two baskets and left the score at 6-4 in its favor.

Wilson would score nine straight Vegas points, the last of which came on a mid-range make that tied the game at 15 with 4:36 remaining in the opening frame. Plum then made a transition layup before Young drew a flagrant 1 on Sug Sutton for a reckless closeout on a 3-point attempt. Young made just 1-of-3 free throws, but, with their extra possession, the Aces got another mid-range make from Wilson for a three-point trip down the floor and a 20-15 lead. They would lead 26-22 after one.

Griner and Taurasi played just 23 minutes apiece. Onyenwere got extended time off the bench and paced Phoenix with 18 points. Taurasi added 11 points and six assists and Griner had 13 points and six rebounds.

The Aces won field goal percentage 50 to 38.6.