RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith (3) reacts after scoring a basket against the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LAS VEGAS – Aces forward NaLyssa Smith continues to quietly strengthen her Most Improved Player of the Year case.
Despite the defending WNBA champions taking a 92-87 defeat to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (29-7) on Saturday night at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, Smith — not for the first time this season — trotted off the hardwood with her head high.
Smith did what she was supposed to do, and then some, dropping a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double — on 7-for-13 from the field — with nine of the boards coming on the offensive end. It was her fourth double-double of the year and the third in the last five games.
In totality, the former No. 2 Draft pick was the only real support four-time A’ja Wilson had in trying to combat fire with fire against the Lynx’s high-powered offense led by the lethal trio of rookie Olivia Miles, Napheesa Collier, and Kayla McBride.
Wilson poured in 32 points to go along with seven rebounds and three stocks. She went 10-for-15 from the floor and 11-for-12 at the free-throw line. Together, Wilson and Smith shot a combined 17-for-28 FG. The rest of the team went 14-for-41, including Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray going 8-for-26.
The Aces (24-12), who are third in the standings — now five games back of Minnesota — were looking for a statement win when the Lynx came into town with the season series tied between the two teams.
Head coach Becky Hammon admitted afterward that her team is not quite firing on all cylinders just yet, and this game against the Lynx provided the perfect measuring stick for where the three-time champions are currently at.
On the night, the Aces failed the test — though Hammon said they learned a lot, with one eye on potentially facing the Lynx again in the playoffs. However, something that wasn’t new was the consistent production from Smith, with her frontcourt tandem with Wilson running like a well-oiled machine.
Smith said her job becomes “way easier” when Wilson gets her offense going early, as she did against the Lynx. A’ja had 19 points at the half and 30 going into the fourth quarter.
“She is going to attract damn near the whole team,” Smith added. “Every single time we play. So, just sneaking in and trying to get little easy buckets, that’s probably where I find most of my success at.”
Averaging 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds on the year, the Aces know exactly what they’re getting out of Smith nine nights out of ten. This year, though, with her level of comfort in Vegas even higher than last, her game is beginning to reach new heights.
Smith leads the league in field goal percentage at 64.1 — a career best to date. She continues to polish out her offensive arsenal, coming within a point of her career-high on July 3 when she scored 29 in the Aces’ overtime win against the Chicago Sky.
Smith’s soft touch around the rim has come to the fore this year. Whether it's a floater, a fading hook shot, or a mid-range jumper, she is converting at a very high clip, proving a tough proposition for interior defenders.
Smith does most of her work within 10 feet of the basket. She uses her long, 6-foot-4 frame to dominate in ways everyone knew she was capable of when she was coming out of Baylor. However, now, it is all coming together.
Smith has shouted out Aces’ player development coach Micah Fraction for the endless practice reps he has put in with her during her 14 months with the team. But her commitment to improving has to be given the flowers it deserves, too.
Smith is converting 77.5 percent of her shots at the rim and 63.5 percent of her attempts from three to 10 feet into buckets. Additionally, her defense — particularly rebounding — has skyrocketed, proving truly pivotal to the Aces winning games this term.
“[I’m] just doing as best as I can,” she said of her defensive growth. “Focusing a lot more on post defense, not letting them touch the ball. Playing to their physicality; it’s real physical down there, so just holding my ground. And just improving daily trying to guard guards.”
Per Basketball Reference, Smith grabs 51.8 percent of total rebounds when she is on the floor. More specifically, she hauls in 77.6 percent of defensive caroms, helping the Aces minimize the amount of second-chance opportunities for the opposing teams.
And speaking of, her presence on the offensive glass has come leaps and bounds of late. Smith is averaging 4.25 offensive rebounds per game over the last eight. Nine against the Lynx is a new career-high.
“Second-chance points are something that we’re great at,” Smith added. “It’s just about trying to give the team another opportunity to score and just going to rebound aggressively and playing out of that.”
Smith enjoyed her matchup against Minnesota’s Natasha Howard, or whenever a smaller player switched onto her. She had a run of three straight makes in the second quarter to get up to nine points and six rebounds (four offensive) at halftime.
The field goals included a hook shot in the paint, a running layup off a Chelsea Gray dish, and a six-foot floating jumper off a Wilson pass.
In the fourth quarter, when the Aces trailed by 10, Smith was one of the catalysts as the Aces rattled off a 9-0 run that saw them climb back within one of Minnesota. She turned a gorgeous transition dime from Gray into a layup.
Sure, the Aces may not have beaten the Lynx this time, but the mood in the camp very much suggests a quiet confidence that within, they feel like they have what it takes to get over the hump should the two sides meet again. Smith is a major part of why that belief exists.
Even if she doesn’t win the Most Improved Player of the Year award, as there are a few worthy candidates, Smith knows how far she has come since being at an all-time low in Dallas. Hammon and her...
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