A’ja Wilson made an immediate impact in her return from injury, recording 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Las Vegas Aces to an 88-80 victory over the Portland Fire on Thursday. After missing the previous three games with an ankle injury, Wilson set the tone early by scoring 10 of the Aces’ first 20 points. Jackie Young contributed 19 points and 11 assists, while NaLyssa Smith added 16 points as Las Vegas improved to 16-6, drawing level with Minnesota for the best record in the WNBA.
Wilson finished the night shooting 10-of-19 from the field and converted 11 of her 13 free-throw attempts. The performance marked her seventh 30-point game of the season, highlighting her importance to the defending champions as they welcomed their star forward back to the lineup with a crucial road win.
A’ja Wilson Records 32-Point Double-Double in Las Vegas Aces Win Over Portland Fire
A’ja Wilson made an emphatic return from an ankle injury, finishing with 32 points and 10 rebounds as the Las Vegas Aces secured an 88-80 road victory over the Portland Fire on Thursday. After missing the previous three games, Wilson wasted no time making her presence felt, scoring 20 first-half points and helping the defending champions build a 45-33 lead at the break. Jackie Young added 19 points and 11 assists, while NaLyssa Smith chipped in with 16 points as Las Vegas improved to 16-6, matching Minnesota for the best record in the WNBA.
The Aces maintained control for most of the night, shooting an efficient 50.8 percent from the field while knocking down eight three-pointers. Wilson ended the contest 10-of-19 from the floor and converted 11 of her 13 free throws for her seventh 30-point game of the season. An early 11-2 run in the opening quarter, highlighted by two three-pointers from Jewell Loyd, helped Las Vegas establish the momentum, while three late free throws from Chelsea Gray extended the visitors’ advantage to 69-52 heading into the final period.
Portland Fire Come Up Short Against the Las Vegas Aces After Slow Start
Portland struggled to recover after falling behind by 12 points at halftime despite flashes of resistance. Carla Leite led the expansion side with 13 points and five assists, while Megan Gustafson contributed 11 points and Emily Engstler added 10 points and seven rebounds. Rookie Teja Oblak also scored 11 points off the bench, but Portland could not find enough consistency to seriously threaten the defending champions.
The Fire briefly cut the deficit to seven midway through the third quarter through Leite’s three-point play, but Las Vegas responded immediately and never allowed the margin to shrink further. Portland finished the night shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 11-of-32 from beyond the arc. The game also began 12 minutes late due to a malfunction involving the shot and game clocks mounted behind the baskets, with temporary floor clocks used before the issue was fixed during halftime.
