Kelsey Plum comes off bench to spark Aces to victory

Kelsey Plum recovered it again Monday day astatine Michelob Ultra Arena. That portion successful which the hoops crippled slows down, the hoop gets bigger and she seemingly cannot miss.

“I’m conscionable trying to fto it travel to me,” the Aces’ fifth-year defender said moments aft scoring 26 of her 30 points successful the 2nd fractional of an 85-75 triumph implicit the Dallas Wings. “Sometimes I get successful occupation erstwhile I effort to marque it happen. I get truthful competitive.”

Plum continued her Sixth Woman of the Year run with 1 of the champion performances of the season, helping the Aces clinch the No. 3 effect with 2 games to play. The 27-year-old sparked a second-half comeback with her vigor and pace, converting 9 of 12 tract goals and 5 of 7 3-pointers.

Las Vegas tin clinch the No. 2 effect and an automatic berth into the WNBA semifinals with 1 much triumph oregon 1 much nonaccomplishment by the Minnesota Lynx.

“She’s going to beryllium the Sixth (Woman) of the Year. If she’s not, there’s thing wrong,” Aces manager Bill Laimbeer said matter-of-factly, referring to Plum. “She wants to beryllium a starter. Everybody does. But for america and the mode we’re structured, she’s a cleanable seat player.”

Laimbeer referred to Monday’s matinee arsenic a “playoff game” due to the fact that the No. 2 effect is inactive connected the line, but the Aces didn’t play similar it during the archetypal 2 quarters. They were lethargic defensively, allowing Dallas defender Arike Ogunbowale to roam freely astir the perimeter en way to 16 first-half points and a 45-36 halftime deficit.

But Plum intervened successful the 3rd quarter.

A brace of modulation layups preceded 2 3-pointers for the erstwhile Washington star, who scored 11 consecutive points and teamed with Riquna Williams to fluster Ogunbowale successful the 2nd half.

She was arsenic effectual successful the 3rd quarter, slithering astir shot screens to onslaught the handbasket and relocating disconnected the shot for unfastened 3-pointers to assistance the Aces abstracted down the stretch.

“KP tin people 30 each azygous night,” said teammate A’ja Wilson, who added 21 points and 12 rebounds. “The sacrifices that she makes for this squad don’t spell unnoticed.”

Ogunbowale made 6 of 8 tract goals successful the 2nd fractional but was constricted to 3-of-13 shooting amid intensified antiaircraft shot pressure. She inactive led the Wings with 23 points. Allisha Gray scored 15 for Dallas.

Williams supplied 16 points for Las Vegas.

“We’re going for the 2nd seed, which is precise important,” Laimbeer said. “We person to play with the vigor that we played with successful the 2nd fractional from commencement to finish, and we’ll beryllium fine.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.