Jackie Young scores 35 as Aces cruise past Storm, extend win streak to four

Jackie Young led the Las Vegas Aces with a game-high 35 points and added five assists in a 114-77 road win over the Seattle Storm on Thursday at Climate Pledge Arena, extending their winning streak to four games including three before the break.

Young converted eight baskets in the first quarter, including three 3-pointers, for 22 points — tying the WNBA record for most points scored in a quarter with teammate Jewell Loyd, Diana Taurasi and Brittney Sykes.

Complementing Young’s performance, A’ja Wilson recorded 29 points while adding seven rebounds and five assists.

The four-time MVP entered Thursday averaging a league-best 26.0 points per game and is now just nine points away from becoming the only player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 points in a season multiple times. She previously accomplished the feat in 2024.

Although Chelsea Gray eventually returned to the game, the Las Vegas guard briefly left Thursday’s matchup in the first quarter after colliding with Seattle forward Taylor Thierry underneath the basket.

Gray attempted to draw a charge from Thierry, who was driving in from beyond the 3-point line. The two players collided, with Thierry’s knee appearing to catch Gray in the hip area before Gray fell hard to the court.

Gray reentered the game to begin the second quarter and finished with five points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Aces closed out the first half of their two-game set against the Storm with a win.

The Aces remain in third place in the league standings after the victory, one and a half games behind the second-place Golden State Valkyries and one game ahead of the Atlanta Dream for the third seed heading into the playoffs, which begin on Sept. 27.