The Las Vegas Aces turned Saturday night’s matchup against the Phoenix Mercury into a record-breaking showcase. And, as has so often been the case this season, A’ja Wilson was right at the center of it all. 

Despite playing just 25 minutes, the four-time MVP delivered another dominant performance. She finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds as the Aces dismantled the Phoenix Mercury 106-58. The emphatic 48-point victory became the biggest blowout in franchise history. It also tied for the third-largest blowout in WNBA history. And it further strengthened the Las Vegas Aces’ position atop the WNBA standings.

The game also marked A’ja Wilson‘s second appearance since recovering from the ankle injury that forced her to miss three straight games. She made her return against the Portland Fire. And she wasted no time making an impact with 32 points and 10 rebounds. With another dominant outing against Phoenix, A’ja Wilson continues to show that she doesn’t need any time to ease her way back into action.

And that was the mentality the entire Las Vegas Aces team carried from start to finish. Because right from the opening tip, there was never any doubt about which side was in control. The Aces opened the game with eight unanswered points in the first two minutes. And by the end of the first quarter they had built a commanding 29-9 lead. They dominated to such an extent that head coach Becky Hammon pulled Wilson and three other starters at the very end of the third quarter, allowing them to sit out the entire fourth quarter.

That opportunity proved particularly memorable for new signing Justine Pissottt, who checked into the game and remained on the floor for the entire final 10 minutes. She went on to enjoy quite an official WNBA debut. She finished as the team’s second-leading scorer with 19 points, while also adding two rebounds and one assist.

With the victory, the Aces now own a 17-6 record and sit right at the top of the WNBA standings. They will face the Indiana Fever in their next game, and it will definitely be a revenge kind of matchup. 

The Fever defeated the Las Vegas Aces 84-68 while A’ja Wilson was away with injury two games ago. Now that they have their superstar back, the Aces will undoubtedly be a much tougher nut to crack for Indiana.

Becky Hammon Refuses to Get Comfortable After Las Vegas Aces Record Win

This historic win, of course, gives the Las Vegas Aces plenty of momentum heading into their next game against the Indiana Fever. However, for head coach Becky Hammon, there is no room to get carried away by the euphoria. She sees Sunday’s matchup as an entirely different challenge and believes her team must start from scratch despite the record-setting victory.

“I mean, obviously it’s a good momentum game, but it’s a whole new 40-minute game,” Hammon said in the postgame press conference. “We got to start over. We got to do the work all over. Nothing carries over. But hopefully that energy, and you know basketball is an energy game. So we want to obviously keep our eye on the ball on the defensive end especially. Indiana, they’re a problem offensively. So we’re going to have to be on it defensively from the jump tomorrow.”

For coach Becky Hammon, the Fever game requires special attention, with a stronger focus on the defensive aspect of the Aces’ game. And of course, they will be going into the matchup seeking revenge. With the boost of having A’ja Wilson back in the lineup, they definitely look like the favorites heading into the game.