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Aces-Storm Preview

The Associated Press

First place in the "wubble" is on the line Thursday night when the front-running Seattle Storm face the Las Vegas Aces.

After a franchise-best 11-1 start, the Storm (12-3) encountered their first true adversity of the season with back-to-back losses, including an 82-74 defeat to Las Vegas on Saturday. But a quick turnaround to avenge both setbacks started on a positive note Tuesday when Seattle eased past Indiana 87-74.

Brianna Stewart had 27 points and nine rebounds while Natasha Howard contributed 13 and nine, respectively. Normally a proficient team from the perimeter, Seattle opted to attack more inside against Indiana and shot 53.8 percent (28 for 52) inside the arc while finishing with season lows of 3-pointers made (3) and attempted (10).

"Those threes are going to be there," Stewart told the Seattle Times. "Early in the game, late in the game and in the middle of the game, we wanted to get paint touches to really find the other openings and break down the defense a little bit."

After missing last season with a torn Achilles, Stewart is in contention for her second MVP award in three years, averaging 19.7 points and 8.0 rebounds. She also cleared 1,000 career boards in Tuesday's win.

Seattle, though, is again expected to be without starting guard Sue Bird, who has missed the last three games with a bone bruise in her left knee. Bird has been limited to seven games in the "wubble," averaging 10.1 points and 4.6 assists.

Las Vegas (11-3), which rode an MVP-caliber performance from A'ja Wilson - 23 points and 14 rebounds - in Saturday's win over Seattle, sustained that momentum with a 96-92 victory over Dallas on Tuesday night. Wilson just missed a double-double with 26 points and nine rebounds, but supersub Dearica Hamby got hers with 18 and 11.

"I was worried about the energy going into this game, but they brought the energy," Aces coach Bill Laimbeer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "A'ja did a nice performance tonight and really carried us most of the way, and Hamby had a very solid basketball game."

Kayla McBride had 15 points while Angel McCoughtry was effective during her time on the court, finishing with 12 points in 16 foul-plagued minutes.

A point of concern for Laimbeer has been his team's recent tendency to squander big leads late. The Aces led by 17 in the third quarter and by 13 with less than four minutes to play before turning back a late charge by the Wings.

"We let them back in the game, so that's a little disturbing," Laimbeer said. "We can't let that happen. It'll burn us one day. We get a lead, and we start throwing the ball over the gym, turnovers - bad turnovers - rushed shots. Hopefully we learn from this."

In Saturday's win, Las Vegas led by 16 with 4:14 remaining before Seattle came as close as five points in the final minute with a late charge. Stewart finished with 29 points and a career-best 18 rebounds in the defeat as the Storm were outscored 26-11 in the second quarter.