What happened: Las Vegas leads Chicago 49-37 at halftime, with NaLyssa Smith setting the pace at 15 points and 4 rebounds. Jewell Loyd has added 12 points on a pair of three-pointers with 3 assists, while Skylar Diggins has chipped in 8 points with two threes of her own and Courtney Vandersloot has 6 points and 2 rebounds.
Why it matters: The Aces came in at 15-7 and looking to stay hot against a 6-15 Chicago team they beat 107-99 just six days ago. Another big night from Smith, one half of the Aces' underrated frontcourt, would reinforce how central she has become to Las Vegas's push up the standings.
By the numbers: Las Vegas entered 15-7 on the season, averaging 90.3 points per game; Chicago entered 6-15, allowing 90.3 per game. In the most recent head-to-head on June 28, the Aces won 107-99 in Chicago. At the break, Smith's 15 points lead all scorers, and Loyd and Diggins have combined for four three-pointers.
What to watch: Watch whether Chicago can chip into the 12-point deficit in the third quarter and whether Smith keeps up her scoring pace in the second half.