A’ja Wilson scored 45 points to lead the Las Vegas Aces to a 101-94 victory over the short-handed Connecticut Sun on Friday night.
The dominant forward hit 15 of her 18 field goal attempts and converted all 13 free throws to secure the fifth 40-point game of her career.
That remarkable tally sets a new WNBA record for the most 40-point performances by a single player.
According to ESPN Research, she is also the first player in league history to score 45 or more points while shooting at least 80% from the floor.
Carter continues strong start
Chennedy Carter provided valuable support for the visiting side by adding 18 points.
The returning guard has enjoyed a stellar beginning to the campaign after spending last season playing overseas.
Following an opening-night defeat to Phoenix, the Las Vegas franchise have responded emphatically with three consecutive victories.
Sun rally falls short amid injury crisis
Connecticut trailed 69-56 late in the third quarter before Saniya Rivers ignited a 14-3 run with consecutive three-pointers.
However, the unstoppable Wilson immediately silenced the home crowd with a crucial shot from beyond the arc and a subsequent three-point play.
Those interventions sparked a decisive 16-4 burst spanning the final two quarters to put the game out of reach.
The winless hosts dropped to a 0-4 record for the season while battling a significant injury crisis.
Connecticut were without Brittney Griner for a second successive game due to a left foot injury, while Olivia Nelson-Ododa missed out with an ankle problem.
Hailey Van Lith led the scoring for the struggling home side with 17 points.
There was some positive news for the Sun as Aaliyah Edwards made her season debut, contributing six points after recovering from a thigh injury.
Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams has declared himself fully healthy ahead of the Western Conference finals following a six-game absence with a hamstring strain.
The standout forward missed the entirety of his team’s second-round sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers due to a Grade 1 tear in his left leg.
However, the former All-NBA selection confirmed his impending return to the court via a video posted to his YouTube channel on Friday.
“It’s good that I haven’t had to rush back from my hamstring stuff at all.”
He added that the comprehensive series victory over Los Angeles afforded him crucial additional recovery time before facing either the Timberwolves or the Spurs.
Cautious approach yields play-off dividends
The versatile playmaker initially suffered the injury during the third quarter of a Game 2 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Prior to his early exit, the 23-year-old had enjoyed a spectacular start to the post-season, registering 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the opening fixture.
Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault noted that his key contributor was progressing following a recent practice session but declined to elaborate further.
The Western Conference top seeds are not officially required to update player availability until the evening before the series opener.
Overcoming regular-season adversity
It has been a highly fractured campaign for the gifted scorer, who was restricted to just 33 regular-season appearances.
He missed the opening 19 fixtures recovering from off-season wrist surgery before enduring two separate absences with a right hamstring issue.
In his absence against the Lakers, teammate Ajay Mitchell excelled in a starting role, averaging 22.5 points and six assists across four contests.
“I’m never worried about the team.”
“My worry always comes from making sure that I’m able to get myself to a point where I can help the team when I’m sitting out for that long.”
With the squad performing at an elite level, the returning star emphasised there was absolutely no pressure to rush his rehabilitation ahead of the upcoming series.
The NCAA has permanently banned former Abilene Christian basketball player Airion Simmons for allegedly conspiring with sports bettors to fix a game in March 2024.
According to the Division I Committee on Infractions, the former Wildcats forward colluded with a teammate to intentionally underperform in exchange for cash.
In January, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania indicted the collegiate athlete alongside two bettors on charges including bribery, fraud, and conspiracy.
Lucrative point-shaving operation
The wider gambling scheme involved fixers recruiting athletes with promises of significant payouts to purposely lose matches.
Authorities stated these illicit gamblers would then place wagers against the compromised teams to defraud sportsbooks.
During a December interview, the disgraced player confessed to NCAA investigators that he was approached by multiple individuals seeking to manipulate the result.
Dallas parking lot payoff
The plot unraveled when a transfer student reported the attempted corruption to university officials in September.
This whistleblower revealed he was pressured during a video call with the accused conspirators to join the illicit enterprise.
To facilitate the fix, the Texas-based athlete leveraged a legitimate hand injury and offered to intentionally play poorly for an agreed $3,500 fee.
After featuring for just 11 minutes before exiting the court, he collected his illicit earnings from a contact in a Dallas parking lot.
The governing body confirmed he kept the entirety of the cash payout rather than distributing it among his co-conspirators.
Wider NCAA gambling crackdown
While he initially agreed to be questioned by investigators, the former student-athlete ultimately declined to participate further in the disciplinary process.
This permanent suspension follows a similar ruling last month where two former Fordham University basketball players were banished for their involvement in the same nationwide point-shaving scandal.
The Las Vegas Aces have commenced their 2026 WNBA season aiming to secure a record-equalling fourth championship following their ring ceremony on Saturday.
A’ja Wilson insists the reigning champions have already moved on from last season’s triumphs and are fully focused on making history.
The Nevada-based franchise claimed their third title in four years after sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in the 2025 WNBA Finals.
Winning a fourth crown would tie them with the Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, and Houston Comets as the most successful teams in league history.
Early season wake-up call
Despite the pre-match celebrations, the defending champions suffered a heavy 99-66 defeat to the Mercury in their opening fixture.
However, the four-time MVP viewed the loss as a necessary reminder of the persistent target on their backs.
“Making history is motivation,” said Wilson, reflecting on the opportunity to cement a sporting dynasty.
“We know how we can be great, and we know it’s going to take all of us.”
The title holders have since responded strongly.
They secured back-to-back victories before heading on an East Coast road trip to face Connecticut and Atlanta.
Integrating new faces into a proven core
Head coach Becky Hammon faces the challenge of blending new arrivals with an established, championship-winning foundation.
The core trio of Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray remains intact following their dominant run across recent seasons.
“We’re still obviously very much in teaching mode, getting our system in place,” Hammon explained.
Key additions to the roster include highly-rated scorer Chennedy Carter.
The former number four overall draft pick returns to the league after missing the 2023 and 2025 campaigns.
“I always thought I would be an Ace one day,” Carter admitted.
The Los Angeles Lakers face a critical decision over the future of LeBron James as NBA executives gather in Chicago to plot major offseason moves.
The league’s annual draft combine has transformed Wintrust Arena into a hub of transfer speculation and contract negotiations.
Discussions are currently dominated by the potential destinations and financial demands of the NBA’s oldest player.
The 41-year-old recently guided his team to a first-round playoff upset over the Houston Rockets, maintaining his status as an elite difference-maker.
Navigating uncharted financial territory
The Los Angeles franchise is attempting to balance on-court strategy with brand protection when evaluating a new deal for the veteran superstar.
He earned $52m (£41m) this season and continues to perform at an extraordinary level despite his advancing years.
One Eastern Conference strategist indicated that the four-time champion still ranks as a top-25 talent by modern analytical metrics.
By our metrics, he remains a top-25 player in the league and if not for his age, we’d probably assess him at near max player level.
The source added that coaching staff rate his impact even higher when he remains free from persistent leg and back injuries.
Building around Luka Doncic
Management must decide whether to bid against themselves while trying to construct a championship-contending roster around Luka Doncic.
Rival organisations with significant salary cap space, such as the Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, are deemed unlikely to launch a pursuit.
Preferred alternative destinations like the Golden State Warriors currently lack the financial flexibility to offer a lucrative contract.
I’d pay LeBron whatever he wants as long as it’s a one-year deal, no player option. Give him the no-trade clause.
A veteran league executive suggested that any new agreement should heavily favour a short-term commitment to protect both parties.
Ripple effects across the league
The Lakers are not the only franchise facing pivotal choices as the draft combine continues in the Windy City.
The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly exploring a clean break from Giannis Antetokounmpo following a turbulent campaign.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers must navigate the departure of Daryl Morey, and the LA Clippers are assessing the long-term future of Kawhi Leonard.
The Milwaukee Bucks are prepared to entertain trade offers for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo before the upcoming NBA Draft as they seek clarity on his future.
The Greek forward has two years remaining on his current contract, with the final year operating as a player option.
However, the Eastern Conference franchise is determined to avoid a scenario where their superstar enters the final season of his deal without an extension in place.
Bucks controlling owner Wes Edens has outlined a clear ultimatum regarding the 2021 NBA champion.
“One of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded.”
Contract dilemma forces Milwaukee’s hand
Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year, $275m contract extension on 1 October.
Any potential suitors acquiring the towering athlete would also be eligible to offer the same lucrative extension, though they must wait six months post-trade to formally offer it.
This creates a significant risk for acquiring teams, who must weigh the cost of giving up substantial draft capital without a guaranteed long-term commitment.
Milwaukee held onto their cornerstone player through the February trade deadline, but the impending June draft presents a logical window for a blockbuster move.
Rebuilding assets and cap space challenges
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam acknowledged that the draft represents a natural deadline for any potential transaction.
“Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we’ve got to have a lot of assets. That’s Jon Horst’s job to do, and if he’s here, then you build the team differently.”
General manager Jon Horst currently holds the 10th overall pick in the upcoming draft to help facilitate a rebuild or reinforce the current squad.
He will also be permitted to trade the team’s first-round selections for 2031 and 2033 once draft night begins.
The franchise faces significant salary cap constraints, complicating any efforts to build a championship-calibre roster around their star via free agency.
Any team attempting a trade without available cap space will need to send Milwaukee at least $46.6m in returning salary to satisfy NBA financial regulations.
The Cleveland Cavaliers recovered from a late nine-point deficit to defeat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime on Wednesday and take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
James Harden delivered a playoff-best performance with 30 points to guide the visitors to a vital victory.
Donovan Mitchell also proved crucial for the fourth seeds, contributing 21 points during a dramatic contest in Michigan.
The hosts had established a commanding 15-point advantage in the first half and still led 103-94 with just over two minutes remaining in regulation time.
Dramatic comeback stuns the top seeds
Faced with a daunting deficit, the Ohio franchise mounted a spectacular 13-0 scoring run to completely shift the momentum.
Evan Mobley successfully converted crucial free throws with 45.2 seconds left on the clock to force a 103-103 tie.
That relentless defensive pressure held the home side scoreless for an astonishing five-minute period stretching deep into overtime.
A decisive three-pointer from Mitchell eventually put the Cavaliers ahead by seven points in the additional period.
Cunningham heroics fall short
Despite an exceptional individual effort of 39 points and nine assists from Cade Cunningham, the Pistons could not complete a late rally of their own.
The standout guard sank a late jumper to close the gap to just two points in the final moments.
However, a veteran display from Harden at the free-throw line, including a crucial offensive rebound from his own miss, ultimately sealed the contest.
Max Strus and Jarrett Allen provided essential support for the victorious lineup, registering 20 and 16 points respectively.
Knicks await the series winner
This result marks Cleveland’s first road victory of the current postseason and breaks Detroit’s four-game winning streak on home court.
The series now shifts back to Ohio for Game 6 on Friday night.
A victory in front of their home fans would see the Cavaliers advance to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Should the top-seeded Pistons survive elimination, a deciding Game 7 will take place on Sunday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has confirmed plans to present a radical “3-2-1” draft lottery proposal to the league’s board of governors later this month in a bid to eliminate deliberate tanking.
Under the suggested format, the three worst-performing franchises would receive lower odds of securing the top pick than teams finishing between fourth and tenth.
This approach introduces a system of flat odds and “draft relegation” to remove any structural reward for finishing at the absolute bottom of the regular season standings.
“What we’ve essentially done, and we have a proposal that we’re going to be bringing to our team owners at the end of May, and that is to create essentially a system of flat odds, so that you have no particular incentive to be bad.”
Adam Silver
Deterring deliberate underperformance
The move follows a controversial end to the current campaign where several rosters were notably altered to purposely worsen their win-loss records.
Franchises such as the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls all took obvious steps to improve their draft position during the closing weeks.
To combat this lack of competitive intent, the proposed overhaul grants the governing body unprecedented power to discipline organisations.
Offending executives could face harsh sporting penalties, including the removal of lottery balls or forced changes to their selection order, rather than just routine financial sanctions.
“Teams have to know it’s not just about paying a financial fine, which they may think is worth it in order to get a top pick, but that it’ll directly impact their ability to get a top draft pick.”
Adam Silver
A three-year trial period
The league has already demonstrated a willingness to crack down on poor competitive integrity by fining the Jazz $500,000 earlier this year for conduct detrimental to the sport.
If approved by team owners at the end of May, the new draft regulations will be implemented on a temporary basis.
The commissioner outlined that the flat-odds system features a three-year sunset clause, allowing officials time to study its effectiveness before the next collective bargaining agreement takes effect in 2029.
While internal debate regarding the exact mechanisms exists, recent controversies have created a near-universal consensus among league officials that immediate action is required.