Las Vegas takes on Phoenix following Plum’s 40-point showing #Las #Vegas #takes #Phoenix #Plums #40point #showing

Phoenix Mercury (4-14, 2-10 Western Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (17-2, 9-1 Western Conference)

Las Vegas; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Las Vegas faces the Phoenix Mercury after Kelsey Plum scored 40 points in the Las Vegas Aces’ 113-89 win against the Minnesota Lynx.

Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson, center, goes up to shoot between Connecticut Sun forwards Olivia Nelson-Ododa (10) and Liz Dixon, right, during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart made the WNBA All-Star draft about picking their current and former teammates.

Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally brings the ball up during the team's WNBA basketball game against the Phoenix Mercury, June 7, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Satou and Nyara Sabally were never competitive against each other growing up in Germany. Their mom made sure of that. The sisters, two years apart in age, will play against each other for the first time ever when Dallas visits New York on Sunday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Natasha Howard made two free throws with less than a second to play and the Dallas Wings handed the Las Vegas Aces just their second loss, pulling out an 80-78 win.

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) celebrates after making a basket during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are starting a new women’s basketball league to give top players another option to play in the U.S. in the offseason once the league’s prioritization rules go into effect next year.

FILE - Dallas Wings guard Odyssey Sims works against the Phoenix Mercury during a WNBA basketball game, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Seven years ago, Odyssey Sims was the hometown girl and co-star of the Dallas Wings, helping introduce the WNBA to a new Texas market. Five teams and the birth of a child later, Sims is on her second contract of the season in a return to the Wings, mature enough to call the younger version of herself a bad teammate while knowing she has to be a good one for the current faces of the franchise, Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

Odyssey Sims is feeling a full-circle moment as she returns to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. She was the hometown girl and co-star when the franchise moved to the Dallas area from Tulsa seven years ago.

The Aces have gone 9-1 against Western Conference teams. Las Vegas is 0-1 in one-possession games.

The Mercury are 2-10 in Western Conference play. Phoenix is sixth in the Western Conference scoring 77.0 points per game and is shooting 45.1%.

The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last matchup on June 21 the Aces won 99-79 led by 23 points from Jackie Young, while Sug Sutton scored 21 points for the Mercury.

TOP PERFORMERS: Young is averaging 19 points and 3.7 assists for the Aces. A’ja Wilson is averaging 19.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over the past 10 games for Las Vegas.

Michaela Onyenwere is averaging 10.2 points for the Mercury. Brittney Griner is averaging 13.8 points over the last 10 games for Phoenix.

LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 9-1, averaging 95.7 points, 34.5 rebounds, 23.3 assists, 6.6 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 51.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.8 points per game.

Mercury: 2-8, averaging 75.3 points, 29.0 rebounds, 19.4 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 84.5 points.

INJURIES: Aces: Kelsey Plum: out (illness), Riquna Williams: out (back).

Mercury: Skylar Diggins-Smith: out (personal).