Las Vegas basketball fans were treated to the first game between the top two teams in the WNBA this season and last— the Aces and Lynx — thanks to the Commissioner’s Cup Tournament that continued at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Saturday, June 13.

The Minnesota Lynx came into Saturday on an 8-game win streak, and their success this season has looked almost nothing like last season. Minnesota lost Alanna Smith, Bridget Carleton, Natisha Hiedeman, Jessica Shepard, Maria Kliundikova and traded DiJonai Carrington this offseason. To start the second quarter on Saturday, there wasn’t a single Lynx player on the floor from last year’s rotation. It’s required Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve to adjust her approach to the game.

The Lynx made more threes than anyone in the league last year; this year they ranked 11th in that category coming into the game in Las Vegas. Minnesota has also been without its best player on both ends of the floor, Napheesa Collier, who is recovering from offseason surgeries to both ankles. When asked if she was allowing herself to be proud of the job she’s done as both president and coach and how proud she was of the job her players have done thus far this season, Reeve was hesitant to pat anyone on the back just yet.

“I think 12 games into any season is very, very premature to sit back and do any kind of patting of anybody on the back,” she said. “We are very, very happy with the start we’ve gotten off to given those challenges…The sprint that we all made to just get this season off the ground and then, in our case, the roster fluctuation, how quickly our starters really came together and formed a tremendous chemistry without, I mean, your MVP, it’s admirable, I would say. But we have taken like zero time to appreciate it.”

The Aces started Saturday like they did in Portland Thursday, as Chelsey Gray stayed hot from distance after tying the WNBA record with nine threes in her last game. She hit her first two treys and three of her first four to make it 16-6 with 5:24 left in the first, forcing a Lynx timeout.

Courtney Williams kept Minnesota in it with three long twos from her favorite straightaway spot. She had 11 of Minnesota’s first 17 points, but the Aces were uber-efficient, making it 32-21 after one period of play.

The Lynx started the second quarter with a lineup consisting of zero players from last year’s team. Rookie Olivia Miles scored five straight points that included an and-one opportunity to keep Minnesota close, but the Aces shot roughly 60% from the field in the first half to keep their distance. 

Minnesota came out with a different defensive intensity to start the second half, with Natasha Howard stepping into passing lanes and forcing turnovers and fastbreak points on multiple occasions, pulling to within one possession. But Las Vegas continued to shoot the lights out, finishing the third shooting 56% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. 

Each team had four players with at least 10 points through three quarters played, as the top two scoring teams in the WNBA did not disappoint. It was 78-71 going into the fourth.  

Three second chances resulted in two points for the Lynx to make it 84-77 Aces with under eight minutes to play, and an offensive foul by A’ja Wilson gave the ball right back to the Lynx who failed to convert. Another pair of Aces turnovers went unconverted by the Lynx, whose lack of experience was evident, as they squandered chances to cut into the lead. Wilson forced a Lynx timeout with an easy layup under the basket to put Vegas up nine with just under six minutes remaining. 

The Aces led by five with three minutes remaining, and Kayla McBride cut it to two with a quick-release three — her third. Howard fouled out on the ensuing Aces’ possession, though, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds and four steals on 8-of-12 shooting. Miles attacked the basket and hit a nifty layup to keep the Lynx within two, but Wilson came up with a block and gathered the loose ball on the next possession. She’d hit a shot from the elbow after spending what Coach Reeve thought was three seconds in the key.

Miles hit an incredible baseline reverse and then blew by Wilson for an and-one opportunity to give the Lynx the lead with 48 seconds left. McBride fouled Jewell Lloyd on a three despite a challenge by Reeve the team was surprised to lose. Miles had the answer though, sinking a clutch three late in the shot clock to take the lead with 24 seconds left. The rookie had a dozen points in the fourth quarter and led all scorers with 29 points.

Wilson earned two free ones and hit both to put Vegas back on top. On the ensuing possession, Miles missed the step-back three thanks to an effective closeout by Jackie Young, and Gray hit the free ones to hold off the Lynx. 

Both teams remain atop the WNBA standings, but since they’re in the same division, only one can play for the Commissioner’s Cup title. Las Vegas has the upper hand now, but both teams have two more tournament games to play.

In describing the physicality of the game afterwards, Wilson accidentally said “sh*t” in the CBS postgame interview, later correcting herself with a “shoot.” It seems Las Vegas Aces fans are in for another riveting chapter in the rousing rivalry between these two teams and their terrific coaches.