Loyd has breakout game in Aces’ victory over Wings after slow start this season

LAS VEGAS (AP) — This is the Jewell Loyd the Aces traded for in January, the addition Las Vegas counted on to remain a WNBA championship contender.

She scored 21 points, including a 3-pointer with 28.3 seconds left that put the Aces ahead for good, in their 88-84 victory over Dallas on Friday night.

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Loyd shot with confidence, making a statement from the beginning by scoring the Aces’ first eight points. The 11-year, six-time All-Star entered the game averaging a career-low 9.1 points and shooting 30%.

Loyd made 7 of 13 shots against the Wings, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. She often was guarded by Paige Bueckers, taken first overall in this year’s draft. Loyd herself was the No. 1 pick in 2015.

“Confidence is always there,” Loyd said. “I get annoyed more when I miss shots. Making shots allows people to play free and spacing and all those things. You want to see the ball go through the basket. My preparation’s been the same. My teammates believe in me, coaches, fans. Everyone’s encouraging me all the way through.”

Coach Becky Hammon said before the game that she wasn’t worried about Loyd’s shooting, that it would come around. She was right.

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Loyd came out strong, scoring 16 points in the first half.

“We need her shooting,” Hammon said afterward. “We’ve been waiting for that explosion, and I thought she got off to a really great start.”

Not that the entire night went smoothly.

Loyd didn’t score in the third quarter and committed three turnovers. Then in the fourth period, she took an elbow from DiJonai Carrington and left the floor.

But Loyd wasn’t gone long, returning in time to make the go-ahead shot after point guard Chelsea Gray kept the possession alive with an offensive rebound. Gray then fed the ball to Loyd, who drilled the shot.

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That helped the Aces erase an 11-point deficit with a 15-point run.

“We were so engaged, and there was a belief we were going to win this game,” Loyd said.

Loyd was the shiny new piece the Aces — who won WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023 — were going to hang their title hopes on after acquiring her from Seattle in a three-team trade that also sent fan favorite and WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles. Given what Plum has done in LA, averaging 21.0 points, the Sparks often have looked as if they won the trade.

But performances like this one against Dallas could change that dynamic.

Loyd’s slow start has mirrored the team’s. The Aces entered the game 4-4 and nearly lost to a Wings team with just one victory, even giving up an 18-point run at one point in the third quarter.

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Las Vegas rallied with Loyd a key piece even with reigning MVP A’ja Wilson out because of a concussion.

“It’s about winning games in September, so we just want to keep building habits,” Hammon said. “We’re still waiting for that unicorn 40 (minutes). As long as I can see us making progress and keeping the belief in each other. This is a process. This stuff just doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why you play 44 games.”

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball