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The defending champion Las Vegas Aces started the 2023 season on a dominant roll, winning three of their first four games by 20-plus points before eventually running their record to 7-0 -- tied for the seventh best start to a season in league history. That streak came to a thudding halt on Thursday when they were crushed by the Connecticut Sun, 94-77, in the second Finals rematch between the teams in three days. 

How were the Sun able to hand the Aces their first loss of the season and move to 7-2 in the process? Easy, they got a historic scoring performance from veteran forward DeWanna Bonner, who poured in a career-high and franchise-record 41 points on 16-of-23 from the field. 

Bonner, who once won a record-three consecutive Sixth Player of the Year awards from 2009-11, has long been one of the most consistent scorers in the league. Earlier this season she moved into 11th place on the all-time scoring list, and will join the top-10 at some point this summer; among active players, only Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi have scored more points than her. 

Even for her, though, this effort was special. So much so that it's worth taking a look at where it ranks among the best scoring outings of all-time -- at least for the regular season. 

Points: 41

Bonner's 41 points are tied for the 16th-most in a regular season game, and she's just the sixth player in the last decade to reach that mark. It was not, however, the highest-scoring game this season, as Breanna Stewart dropped 45 against the Indiana Fever a few weeks back. 

Field goal percentage: 69.6%

Bonner was remarkably efficient en route to her career night, shooting 17-of-23 from the field, which was good for 69.6%. That is tied for the fourth-best field goal percentage ever in a 40-point game. 

Free throws: 4-of-5

Getting to the free throw line is one of the easiest ways to score, and it's no surprise that most of the big scoring nights in WNBA history have featured a lot of trips to the line. Liz Cambage's all-time record 53-point night, for example, saw her go 15-of-16 on foul shots. Bonner did not follow suit. She went 4-of-5 from the free throw line, to set a new record for the fewest free throws made and attempted in a 40-point game. This was a pure scoring clinic.  

Minutes: 32

One of the most impressive aspects of Bonner's performance is that she needed just 32 minutes to pull it off. That was the second-fewest minutes ever in a 40-point game. To that point, it's worth noting that Bonner's 41 points are the eighth-most ever in regulation. Nearly half of all 40-point games were recorded in contests that went to overtime. 

Age: 35

It's also worth noting that Bonner did this as a 35-year-old, making her the scond-oldest player to ever record a 40-point game. In fact, Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie and Betty Lennox are the only other players to ever reach the mark in their 30s. 

Result: A win over the undefeated, defending champion Aces

A regular season game is only going to carry so much meaning. Still, it's worth taking the opponent into account when considering the magnitude of a big scoring night; going off against an elite team is always going to be more noteworthy than beating up on a lottery team. Thus, it's especially impressive that Bonner went off against the defending champion Aces who boasted the best defense in the league entering the game. This is also the first time in league history that someone has had a 40-point game against an unbeaten opponent. 

Here's a quick recap of where Bonner's night stands in the record books:

  • T-16th-most points in a regular season game
  • T-8th most points in regulation
  • T-4th most efficient 40-point game
  • Fewest free throws made, attempted in 40-point game
  • 2nd fewest minutes in a 40-point game
  • 2nd oldest player with 40-point game
  • 1st 40-point game vs. unbeaten opponent

The efficiency, the lack of reliance on free throws or heavy minutes, the age and the opponent are all stunning, and this game will be long remembered. But ultimately, Bonner's lack of total points holds her back from joining the upper echelon of all-time scoring performances.