From worst home loss to 13-game win streak: The Aces are WNBA title contenders

LAS VEGAS (AP) — No WNBA team is hotter than the Aces, but how much their monthlong winning streak meant in the big picture of chasing a championship was still in question before Thursday night.

Las Vegas then made the point in extending its streak to a franchise-record 13 games with a 97-87 victory over Minnesota that it plans to have a major say in the postseason, that the top-seeded Lynx shouldn't expect a coronation.

“This gas tank is not tapped out yet,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “We're getting there.”

This was quite a different situation from the last time the teams met Aug. 2. Minnesota handed the Aces the worst home loss in league history, a 111-58 drubbing that put Las Vegas on the brink of not even making the playoffs.

The idea of pushing for the No. 2 seed would have seemed preposterous.

“We got embarrassed,” point guard Chelsea Gray said. “If that didn't embarrass you, don't show up to the game the next day.”

The Aces not only showed up, they began to win. And keep winning.

Now the streak is up to a baker's dozen, tied with three other teams for the fifth longest in WNBA history. The Los Angeles Sparks won the record-setting 18 in 2001.

“We really had to learn how to believe in one another,” star forward A’ja Wilson said.

The Aces are tied with Atlanta and Phoenix all at 27-14, but Las Vegas owns the tiebreaker with both clubs.

Not only did the Aces make a team statement, Wilson made an individual one as well.

Minnesota's Napheesa Collier is the runaway favorite for MVP, an award that Wilson has won three times, including last season. Hammon recently made an impassioned plea to voters that Wilson deserves the honor again.

Wilson was named Western Conference player of the month after averaging 25.5 points and 11.8 rebounds. Then on Thursday, she scored 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting to go with eight rebounds to pass Collier in scoring average (28.7-26.9).

Fans chanted “M-V-P” in the third quarter when Wilson completed a three-point play at the free-throw line and in the fourth when she knocked down a 3-pointer for an 81-71 lead.

Collier finished with 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, Minnesota emptied its bench with 4:42 left and the Lynx ended the night having allowed a season high in points.

Whether Wilson's performance sways voters remains to be seen, but as the top player on what has been the best team, Collier remains in good standing to get the votes.

As far as which team gets the trophy, the Aces showed against the Lynx they plan to be part of that conversation. This is a franchise not far removed from winning the title in 2022 and 2023.

Those teams didn't face the adversity this one has encountered.

“That locker room is a strong-willed locker room,” Gray said. "There were lots of moments where we could've folded. We could've went our separate ways, and we just got tighter. We stayed with the process. It's been beautiful to see, and everybody's reaping the benefits of that. I say every season you want to be playing your best basketball (in) August, September, and that's what you're seeing right now.

“I still think there's another level we can go to on both ends of the floor.”

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