Aaliyah

Nye

With Kierstan Bell (leg) unavailable for Tuesday’s game, Nye made her first career start. Unfortunately for the rookie wing, she could not get untracked offensively in the 92-61 victory. However, that was not the case for reserve guard Dana Evans, who contributed 13 points (5-of-7 FGs), one rebound, six assists and three three-pointers in 20 minutes off the bench. Las Vegas can clinch the two seed in the playoffs with either a win over the Sparks on Thursday or an Atlanta loss to Connecticut the day prior.

While Smith returns to the lineup after sitting out Sunday’s win over Chicago due to concussion protocols, the Aces will be without Kierstan Bell (leg). Instead of going back to Jewell Loyd, Aces head coach Becky Hammon has tabbed Nye to fill the void. The rookie starting means Loyd can remain in the reserve role, which has worked so well for the Aces since she was moved to the bench in late July.

Young suffered a lower-body injury during the Aces’ final game before the All-Star break. While head coach Becky Hammon said the guard was dealing with a groin injury, the official designation is a left hip injury. Young only played the first minute of Saturday’s All-Star Game before checking out, and the Aces gave her the day off on Monday. If Young cannot play against Atlanta, the Aces will need more production from Dana Evans and Aaliyah Nye.

Nye finally rediscovered her touch from beyond the arc against the Wings, which helped her score in double figures for the first time since late June. The rookie guard also secured multiple three-point makes for the first time in July, which included a nice, contested transition triple off the bounce. Nye had really struggled to find her groove lately, after a promising start to her career, but Wednesday’s output could restore some confidence going forward. She’ll next take the floor on Tuesday against the Dream.

Young scored 60 percent of her total points in the fourth quarter which included two field goals at the rim coming off a cut and then a drive in addition to two trips to the foul line. Young, like A’ja Wilson, willed herself to the line and took advantage of how the Mercury’s defense was playing the Aces. Young also had the second-most assists on her team, finding three different teammates including Jewell Loyd, Aaliyah Nye and Tiffany Mitchell wide open from beyond the arc.

Nye was clutch for the Aces, hitting shots when the team needed a lift. She spaced the floor incredibly well, especially when Kiah Stokes struggled more than she usually does offensively, turning the ball over twice in just nine minutes of play. Nye was her replacement and hit two straight 23-foot three pointers in the middle of the fourth quarter to trim a Mercury lead that was once five points to a single point. Nye also hauled down a key rebound with 9.4 seconds remaining in regulation after Sami Whitcomb missed a three that would have given the Mercury the lead. Aces coach Becky Hammon seems to trust Nye, who has now played 20 or more minutes in five straight games for Las Vegas, building a case to be streamed in fantasy.

After a disappointing outing on the boards for Wilson against the Mystics on Thursday night, the 3x MVP responded and collected the most rebounds she has had this season on Sunday against the Mercury. She led the Aces in not only rebounds, but also in scoring and assists. Wilson took over in the third quarter, where she scored 10 points and made three field goals while getting to the line three times. She is increasingly getting better at making the extra pass, finding rookie Aaliyah Nye for two of her five threes while working in the two-person game alongside wing Jackie Young for two more assists.

While the Aces have gotten off to a disappointing start, with Friday’s defeat dropping their record to 5-7, Nye’s development has been a positive. The rookie wing matched her season-high point total on Friday, hitting double figures for the third time. And while Nye did not record a robust overall stat line against the Storm, her effort continues to grab the attention of Aces head coach Becky Hammon. “She gets minutes because she plays hard. Her effort is there every time,” Hammon said after Friday’s loss. “I can’t say the same down the line…the way you build trust with your coach…if I see you’re trying hard and the effort’s there, let me start with that.” Nye has played at least 15 minutes in six straight games, surpassing 20 minutes on four occasions. That isn’t enough to make her a factor in most fantasy leagues, but Nye should remain a fixture in the Aces rotation for the foreseeable future.

Sunday’s game will be the second Wilson has missed due to the league’s concussion protocols. Elizabeth Kitley started Friday’s comeback victory over the Wings, playing 18 minutes and accounting for two points, four rebounds and one assist. While Kitley may retain that role on Sunday, rookie Aaliyah Nye (five points, four rebounds, one steal and one three-pointer in 22 minutes) should once again play more minutes off the bench.

Injured during the third quarter of Wednesday’s loss to the Sparks, Wilson has entered the league’s concussion protocol. Not only will she not be available for Friday’s game against the Wings, but there’s also a chance Wilson also misses Sunday’s game against the Mercury. Her absence leaves a massive hole in the Aces’ lineup, and Las Vegas will need guard Jewell Loyd to get untracked after a slow start to her first season with the team. As for who moves into the starting lineup, Aaliyah Nye is a possibility if Las Vegas goes with a smaller lineup, and she can provide perimeter shooting.