Aces Claim West Cup Lead
A'ja Wilson Leads Aces Past Lynx, Securing West Lead in Commissioner's Cup
The Las Vegas Aces edged the Minnesota Lynx 100-97 on June 13, 2026, to claim the top spot in the West for the Commissioner's Cup. A'ja Wilson delivered 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks to power the win at a sold-out Target Center in Minneapolis, where 18,978 fans watched the two teams battle to the final buzzer. AP reported that Wilson shot 64.2% from the field, finishing 9-of-12 inside the paint.
With the win, Las Vegas advances to the Commissioner's Cup Championship game, scheduled for June 25, 2026. The Aces will face the Eastern Conference winner — currently a tight race between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever.
Wilson and Gray Ice It With Four Straight Free Throws
The game came down to the final 14 seconds. Chelsea Gray and A'ja Wilson each made two free throws in a row to seal the win. Las Vegas went 18-for-20 from the free-throw line on the night. Minnesota went 14-for-19. That three-point difference in made free throws matched the final scoring margin exactly.
Gray finished with 18 points and 12 assists. ESPN called her the "stabilizing force" of the roster during the closing moments. Wilson said after the game: "We wanted them to know the road to the Cup goes through Vegas," according to Bleacher Report.
Rookie Olivia Miles Pushes Aces to the Brink
Minnesota's Olivia Miles, a third-year guard and former Notre Dame standout, scored a game-high 29 points — a career high. She also added 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Minnesota Star Tribune noted that her 29 points are the most by any Lynx player in a Commissioner's Cup game.
ESPN analyst Andraya Carter said the performance showed Miles is "the future" of women's basketball — but that Wilson "is the present." Some analysts pointed out that Miles played 38 minutes, and late-game fatigue may have led to two key turnovers in the final minute.
Hammon's Late Defensive Switch Swings the Game
With three minutes left, Aces head coach Becky Hammon shifted to a zone defense to stop Miles from driving to the basket. The move worked. Sports Illustrated called it a "masterclass in late-game management." The Lynx scored just three points in the final three minutes.
Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve pushed back on the officiating after the game. She still praised her young squad's "refusal to back down from the reigning gold standard of the league," per the official post-game press conference. The Lynx had entered the night at 4-0 in Cup play. Las Vegas was 3-1, having lost a narrow game to Seattle on June 10.
What the Commissioner's Cup Win Means for the Aces
The Commissioner's Cup was created in 2021 to add real stakes to the early-season schedule. Each player on the winning team earns roughly $30,000, according to AP. The Cup Final MVP gets an extra $10,000 — a meaningful sum for players on rookie-scale deals.
The win also boosts Las Vegas into the No. 1 overall seed for the general playoffs. Forbes SportsMoney reported that the Cup Final draws 25% more viewers each year. With the Aces in the final, secondary-market ticket prices are expected to jump by 40% on sites like StubHub.
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