Gray’s go-ahead jumper with 3.6 seconds remaining gave Las Vegas an 85-84 victory over the Dream
Chelsea Gray had already missed once in the lane. The Aces had just turned the ball over. Atlanta had grabbed its first lead of the second half. The game, at that point, looked like it was slipping away.
Then the Aces won a jump ball off a tie-up, got the ball back to Gray, and she made no mistake the second time. Her fadeaway jumper in the lane dropped with 3.6 seconds on the clock, and the Las Vegas Aces held on to beat the Atlanta Dream 85-84 on Sunday, extending their winning streak to four games.
Gray
Gray finished with 21 points, going 5 for 8 from three-point range and adding six assists. It was a complete performance from the Aces guard, capped by one of the more pressure-filled shots of the young season.
A’ja Wilson and Chennedy Carter both added 20 points apiece. Wilson also reached a quiet milestone during the game, passing Aces head coach Becky Hammon on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list. Wilson now has 5,844 career points, putting her 19th in league history.
Carter’s three-point play midway through the third quarter had pushed the Las Vegas lead to 73-54, a margin that looked more than comfortable at the time. What followed made Gray’s final shot far more necessary than anyone in an Aces uniform would have preferred.
Atlanta’s 16-point run that almost changed everything
The Dream did not go quietly. Atlanta went on a 16-consecutive-point run to trim what had been a commanding deficit down to a single point. Te-Hina Paopao hit a three-pointer with 2:16 remaining to fuel the surge, and Jordin Canada capped the burst with a fast-break layup 36 seconds before the final buzzer to give Atlanta its first lead of the second half at 84-83.
Canada finished with 11 points and seven steals, making her one of the more impactful players on the floor despite the loss. Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 25 points and nine rebounds. Paopao added 19 points, and rookie Madina Okot recorded her second career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Angel Reese, one of the more anticipated storylines entering the contest, had a difficult afternoon. She finished with nine points on 1-for-8 shooting, eight rebounds and eight turnovers.
Jackie Young had perhaps the strangest stat line of the game. She went 0 for 12 from the field, 0 for 5 from three, and was held scoreless for the first time since 2020, her second WNBA season. She still finished with seven assists, keeping her involved in the game despite the shooting struggles.
NaLyssa Smith came off the bench and scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half, providing a spark when the Aces needed steadiness.
Injuries and what comes next
Atlanta played without Rhyne Howard, who was in concussion protocol, and Brionna Jones, sidelined with a knee injury. The Aces were missing Dana Evans with a leg injury and Janiah Barker, also in concussion protocol.
The Aces improve to 4-1 on the season. The Dream fall to 2-1. Las Vegas hosts Los Angeles next Saturday, while Atlanta returns home to face Dallas on Friday.