A 13-0 first quarter run by the Aces is all it took as the Chicago Sky fell in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship, 93-83.

“Vegas is too good of a team to get behind like that,” head coach James Wade said. “It seems like we weren’t ready to play at the beginning of the game.”

Ace’s Kelsey Plum was perfect from the 3-point line in the opening quarter with 12 of her 24 points. However, it was Chelsea Gray who was named Commissioner’s Cup MVP, finishing with 19 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds.

Las Vegas turned on the jets and led 33-14 after the first quarter. As a team, the Aces shot 70% from the floor and 100% from the arc in the opening 10 minutes of play. Chicago went 0-for-8 from the arc and shot a dismal 27.8% from the floor.

“Early on, I feel like we were really passive,” Candace Parker said after the game. “Credit to them. They threw the first punch. For us to get down 33-14 in the first quarter, that’s not the way that we wanted to play.”

The Sky’s shots weren’t falling, and the Aces poked their hand in every passing lane. The Sky had just 5 turnovers in the first, but Las Vegas turned that into 11 points. 

“We’re the Chicago Sky. They’re Vegas. That’s how it’s going to be,” Wade said. “We can’t expect anything going into the game. We got to grind it out. We got to be Chicago, just like this city. We have to grind. That’s what we’re going to do. We have to do it.”

Chicago made small runs of their own in the second and third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points in the third. Rebekah Gardner kept Chicago in the game with some tough contested shots at the rim, putting up 7 of her 9 points. 

“It gave us a level of toughness that we needed. I probably should have gotten her in there a little earlier. I guess I got to find some time for her, especially when we’re lacking toughness,” Wade said about Gardner.

Parker put up another double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman both chipped in with 18 points a piece. Chicago finished shooting 32-for-79 from the floor and 20% from the 3-point line.

This is the first time in 2022 that Chicago has lost back-to-back games. They look to get back in the win column when they host the New York Liberty on Friday, July 29th. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. on Marquee Plus.