The defending champs Aces come from behind to beat the Sparks 94-85

Los Angeles Sparks #4 Lexie Brown going around a screen by her team mate #24 Jorner Holmes. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1

LOS ANGELES, CA - Jackie Young scored a career-high 30 points, and the defending champions Las Vegas Aces outscored the Los Angeles Sparks 31-17 in the third quarter to come from behind for a 94-85 victory at the Crypto.com Arena.

The Sparks were without Nneka Ogwumike, but Chiney Ogwumike led the Sparks in scoring with 19 points, Lexie Brown with 15 points, and Dearica Hamby, Jordan Canada, and Karlie Samuelson all with 11 points.

A'ja Wilson had another double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Chelsea Gray with 16 points, and Candace with 10 points.

Lexie Brown gave Los Angeles a 7-4 lead with her three-pointer from the left side of the court. Derica Hamby, with a pass from Brown, scored on a layup to give the Sparks a 9-4 lead, forcing the Aces to call a time-out.

Las Vegas would trailed 9-7 with a three-pointer by Candace Parker. The Sparks went up 14-7 with a jump shot by Chiney Ogwumike. Brown continued her hot shooting by knocking down a jump shot at the top of the key, making the score 20-9.

Joyner Holmes' layup gave the Sparks a 25-13 lead. The Sparks led at the end of the first quarter 25-15.

 Jackie Young had the Aces trailing in the second quarter 25-17 with her layup. Zia Cooke's jumps hot made the score 29-17. The Sparks would lead by eleven points, 34-23, with a jump shot by Brown.

 Jordin Canada stole the pass from the Aces and passed the ball to Cooke for a layup pushing the Sparks' lead to 36-27. The Aces would trail by six points, 38-32, after a layup by Young, and the Sparks called time out.

Karlie Samuelson's three-pointer gave the Sparks a 46-34 lead. The Sparks led at halftime 46-36. Brown led the Sparks in scoring in the first half with 12 points, Ogwumike with 9 points, and Hamby with 7 points.

Las Vegas Aces #0 Jackie Young scored a career-high 30 points against the Los Angeles Sparks. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Young was the leading scorer for the Aces with 13 points, and Aja Wilson and Candice Parker both with 6 points.

Las Vegas trailed 46-39 in the third quarter with a three-pointer by Chelsea Gray. Kelsey Plum would respond with a layup, and the Aces now trailed 54-47.

Ogwumike's layup had Los Angeles leading 59-51. Wilson scored with back-to-back baskets, and the Aces were now down by two points, 59-57.

Las Vegas tied the game 59-59 with a jump shot by Young. Plum would make two free throws to give the Aces a 63-61 lead. The Aces led at the end of the third quarter 67-63.

Alysha Clark's jump shot from the left side of the basket gave the Aces a 72-65 lead with 7:59 left in the game. Brown would make the score 74-69 after stealing the ball and went down the court for a layup.

Young would knock down a three-point shot to give the Aces an 80-71 lead. The Aces would go up 85-76 with another three-pointer by Young with 3:07 left in the game.

Young and Wilson would close out the games, making a pair of free throws to ice the game, and the Aces would go to (2-0), and the Sparks fell to (1-1).

Despite the loss by the Sparks and poor shooting in the third quarter, they continued to fight and scrap, and their defense had 16 steals and turned the ball over 11 times was a good sign for their head coach Curt Miller and his coaching staff.

"This is a team that is bought in," Chiney Ogwumike said. "A lot of people asked, 'Who are we going to be this year?' And now people are starting to see who we are: We are players that play with heart and fight."

Both teams will play again on Saturday in Las Vegas as the Aces will receive their WNBA Championship Rings.