Paige Bueckers has arrived. The 2025 No. 1 pick scored 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting and 5-of-7 from distance in Wednesday’s game against the Mercury.
While the Wings lost, Bueckers joined Caitlin Clark as the only WNBA rookies to ever record 35+ points and 5+ three-pointers in a game. That level of excellence is hard to replicate, but Bueckers has a good opportunity to do so against the Aces on Friday, June 13.
Las Vegas is coming off a loss to the Sparks on Wednesday in which A’ja Wilson left with a head injury. Her status for Friday is unknown as of writing.
Still, the Aces are nine-point favorites at home, and the game total is set at 168.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Here’s my prediction and pick for Friday’s Aces vs. Wings matchup.
Aces vs. Wings prediction
These teams have been disappointing despite having vastly different expectations this season. The Wings are rebuilding with Bueckers as the cornerstone of the franchise. Still, a 1-10 start is extremely underwhelming.
Meanwhile, the Aces are 4-4 and can’t seem to find their footing despite rostering top-end talent. Wilson is still a prime MVP candidate with Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray as co-stars. Jewell Loyd, who the team added via a three-team trade in the offseason, has been disappointing to start the season.
Las Vegas should be a title contender, yet it is very clearly a few steps behind the Liberty, Lynx and other top teams. As large favorites on Wednesday, the Aces lost 97-89 to the Sparks. Wilson did leave late in the third quarter, but the Sparks had a five-point lead at that point.
The biggest problem with the Aces is their defense. They allowed 50 first half points to the Sparks and 83.9 points per game — the fifth worst mark in the league. While not as egregious as Chicago, Connecticut or Dallas, Las Vegas’ defense is still porous.
The Wings will certainly take advantage of this as Bueckers is coming off a historic performance on Wednesday. With or without Wilson, the Aces will allow a ton of points. The same goes for Dallas, who has the third worst opponents’ points per game in the league (88.5).
Aces vs. Wings pick, best bet
The story of this game will be defense, as is the case for almost every Aces and Wings game this season. Neither squad plays particularly well on that side of the floor, so it results in a higher point total on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The over/under is set at 168.5 points, which is a high mark. An 85-84 final would clear the over, but it’s unlikely the Wings play a close game, even if Wilson is sidelined.
Nonetheless, the defenses are nonexistent at times. It’s a lot of points, but neither squad should provide much resistance. Friday’s matchup will be high-scoring and likely surpass the over.