Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon ejected in 1st half; Aces fall to Dream

Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon ejected in 1st half; Aces fall to Dream Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026 | 9:10 p.m. Ryne Howard scored 23 points, Angel Reese tallied 21 points and 10 rebounds for her league‑leading 24th double‑double, and the Atlanta Dream beat the Las Vegas Aces 97‑82 on Tuesday night. Las Vegas was without head coach Becky Hammon for the second half after she was assessed a technical foul with 5:06 remaining in the second quarter for arguing a non‑call on a drive by A'ja Wilson. Assistant coach Charlene Thomas‑Swinson took over for Hammon, who was ejected for the first time this season and the second time in her career. Howard made two free throws following the technical fouls to give Atlanta a 35‑29 lead. Reese capped the first‑half scoring with 6.4 seconds left to stretch the Dream's advantage to 52‑41. Atlanta closed the game on a 9‑0 run, highlighted by Howard's three‑point play with 49.3 seconds remaining. Allisha Gray also contributed 21 points for the Dream (22‑13), ending a six‑game losing streak in Las Vegas and securing the team's first victory there since July 19, 2022. A'ja Wilson finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Aces (25‑12). Jackie Young added 24 points and four three‑pointers, while Chelsea Gray chipped in 13 points. Las Vegas' bench managed only eight points combined.