By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS — The Sparks had no answer for A’ja Wilson on Friday night.
The three-time WNBA MVP had 35 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as the Las Vegas Aces bounced back from a 20-point loss five days earlier to beat the Sparks, 96-81, at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
It was the highest-scoring game for Wilson, who also had three steals and three blocked shots, since a 41-point performance last Sept. 1 at Phoenix. Jackie Young added 26 points for the Aces (3-2), who shot a blistering 12 for 25 from 3-point range. Chelsea Gray scored 15 points.
Former Aces guard Kelsey Plum led the Sparks (2-5) with 17 points, Odyssey Sims scored 15 and former Aces forward Dearica Hamby had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Azura Stevens added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Plum and Sparks coach Lynne Roberts were hit with technical fouls for arguing with officials on separate occasions.
The Aces, expected to be WNBA title contenders, entered this game off a slow start to the season that included a 102-82 loss at Seattle on Sunday.
Las Vegas went on a 23-2 run before the Sparks closed the first quarter with a 15-5 spurt of their own to draw to within 28-21. But the Aces added a 15-3 run in the second period to open a 54-36 lead, and the outcome was not seriously in doubt after that.
The Aces led by as much as 24 points, but the Sparks made their typical late push, using an 11-0 run to get within eight points with 4:07 left. The Aces went scoreless for almost four minutes during the Sparks’ surge, but back-to-back baskets from Young and a Wilson putback effectively snuffed the comeback bid.
Wilson shot 12 for 18 from the field, while Young was 11 for 22 (3 for 8 from 3-point range). Gray shot 4 for 7 from behind the arc.
Las Vegas held the Sparks to just 7-of-24 shooting from long range – including a 1-for-7 effort from Plum, who shot 6 for 19 overall in her first game in Las Vegas since she was part of the three-team trade in January in which the Aces acquired Jewell Loyd from Seattle.
The Sparks, who have lost five of their past six games, were without Rickea Jackson, who did not play because of personal reasons. Jackson averages 7.0 points per game.
Las Vegas won consecutive WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023 with Plum earning All-Star honors both seasons. She was selected for a third consecutive All-Star appearance last season.
Plum came into the game second in the league in scoring at 25.2 points per game, the best pace of her career.
“I’m excited to have KP back in the house,” Wilson told reporters before the matchup. “She won us two championships here, so obviously we’re going to give everything that we can (with) the energy, the positive vibes.”
Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard and Hall of Famer Tina Thompson sat courtside.
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