Atlanta, GA—Las Vegas Aces survived a furious late comeback from the Atlanta Dream on Sunday afternoon, escaping with an 85-84 victory after Chelsea Gray knocked down a clutch fadeaway jumper with just 3.6 seconds remaining.
Gray once again proved why she remains one of the league’s premier closers, finishing with 21 points, six assists, and five made 3-pointers to help the defending WNBA champions secure their fourth consecutive victory.
The final sequence capped a dramatic turnaround after Atlanta erased a massive second-half deficit and briefly grabbed the lead in the closing minute. Following a turnover by A’ja Wilson, Dream guard Jordin Canada raced downcourt for a fast-break layup that gave Atlanta an 84-83 advantage with 36 seconds left.
The Aces responded calmly on the next possession. Gray initially missed a shot in the lane, but Las Vegas retained possession after winning a jump-ball situation, setting the stage for the veteran guard’s game-winning basket.
Wilson delivered another dominant performance with 20 points while also making franchise and league history. The reigning superstar surpassed Aces head coach Becky Hammon on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list, moving into 19th place in league history with 5,844 career points.
Chennedy Carter added 20 points for Las Vegas, including a three-point play late in the third quarter that pushed the Aces to their largest lead of the afternoon at 73-54.
Despite trailing by nearly 20 points, Atlanta mounted an impressive comeback fueled by defensive pressure and hot shooting. The Dream rattled off 16 consecutive points during the fourth quarter, energized by key baskets from rookie Te-Hina Paopao and strong play from Canada.
Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Paopao contributed 19 points in one of her best performances of the season. Rookie center Madina Okot recorded her second career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Atlanta also received strong defensive production from Canada, who finished with 11 points and seven steals.
It was a difficult afternoon offensively for Angel Reese, who struggled to find rhythm throughout the game. Reese finished with nine points on 1-for-8 shooting while also recording eight rebounds and eight turnovers.
The Aces overcame an unusually quiet performance from Jackie Young, who was held scoreless for the first time since the 2020 season. Young missed all 12 of her field-goal attempts, including five shots from beyond the arc, though she still contributed seven assists.
Las Vegas improved to 4-1 on the season after recovering from a lopsided opening-night loss to Phoenix, while Atlanta dropped to 2-1 despite nearly completing one of the biggest comebacks of the young WNBA season.
The Dream were without key contributors Rhyne Howard and Brionna Jones due to injuries, while the Aces also played shorthanded without Dana Evans and Janiah Barker.
Up next, Las Vegas returns home to face Los Angeles on Saturday, while Atlanta hosts Dallas on Friday.
