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The Las Vegas Aces end their three-game homestand with a clash against the Connecticut Sun at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Friday. The defending champions snapped their three-game losing streak with a 94-83 win over the Seattle Storm, and will now face a stern test against Connecticut who have been the team to beat this season.
The Sun has the WNBA's best record (13-1) and comes off a 79-70 home win against the LA Sparks. The recent victory highlights their dominance, winning nine of their last 10 games, with four wins coming on the bounce.
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This will be the first matchup between both teams this season. Head-to-head, the Sun lead the Aces 34-24 in 55 regular season matchups. However, Las Vegas has won three of the last five games between them. They will face each other two more times before the end of the regular season.
Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces preview predicted starting lineups, odds and prediction
Tip-off between the Aces and Sun is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET. The matchup can be watched live on Ion and the WNBA app.
Here's a quick look at the odds ahead of the clash:
Spread: Sun +6, Aces -6
Moneyline: Sun +185, Aces -225
Total (o/u): Sun o163.5, Aces u163.5
Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces preview
The Suns are a defense-first unit this season and have made it their identity. They choke opponents on that end by allowing just 93.7 points per every 100 possessions to be the team with the best defense in the league. They are adept at forcing turnovers and top that stat as well, forcing teams to average at least 21 TOs per game.
Their 3-point shooting is 11th in the WNBA as they are scoring at a 30.4% clip this season. DeWanna Bonner leads the offense with 17.5 points while Brionna Jones is second with 13.4 ppg. Alyssa Thomas has been crashing the boards with 9.8 rpg and has been quarterbacking with a whopping 8.1 apg.
The Aces have been buoyed by the return of Chelsea Gray. The point guard made her debut against the Storm on Wednesday, and made an immediate impact, registering seven assists in 16 minutes after coming off the bench. It's interesting to see if Becky Hammon will continue to use Gray sparingly as the veteran ramps up her conditioning to full fitness.
A'ja Wilson has been their bonafide star this season, averaging 27.9 ppg and 11.3 rpg, as she continues to make her case for another MVP title. Kelsey Plum has held steady with 18.2 ppg and 4.9 apg. Meanwhile, Jackie Young has been a revelation with 19.0 ppg and 6.0 apg.
However, Las Vegas has struggled on defense this season. They are ninth in the league in defense, but their offense has been bailing them out of tight situations. They are placed second in FG% with 49.9% of their made 2s. They are also drilling 34.7% of their shots from downtown to stay second. This will likely be a classic Las Vegas Aces offense versus stout Sun defense.
Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces predicted starting lineup, rotations and substitutions
The Sun is expected to remain unchanged. They will likely go with their lineup featuring Tyasha Harris at PG, Dijonai Carrington at SG, DeWanna Bonner at SF, Alyssa Thomas at PF and Brionna Jones at C. Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Tiffany Mitchell and Rachel Banham are their bench options.
The Aces will perhaps stick to bringing back Gray off the bench. This sees Jackie Young at PG, Kelsey Plum at SG, Tiffany Hayes at SF, A'ja Wilson at PF and Kiah Stokes at C. Kate Martin, Alysha Clark, Megan Gustafson and Sydney Coulson are their rotation options.
Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces prediction
The Connecticut Sun might be the team to beat this season, but they will have their hands full with the Las Vegas Aces, who now have that much-needed Chelsea Gray assist. They are a side that gets hot in minutes and has the necessary firepower to combat the Sun's defense. Expect them to end their home stint with a win.
