There's just one WNBA game on the schedule for Thursday night, but it should be a good one as the Las Vegas Aces visit the Los Angeles Sparks in a battle of two of the most talented teams in the league.

The Aces have won their last two outings to move to 6-4 on the season, which has them in a tie for third place in the league. They haven't always looked great this season, but they've been racking up wins as they figure things out, which is a good sign.

As for the Sparks, they haven't been doing any winning lately. Entering Thursday's matchup, they're on a four-game losing streak and now sit in eighth place at 4-6. Candace Parker's long-awaited return hasn't solved any of their problems so far. 

How to watch Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks

Storylines

Aces: At this point, the Aces have established that they're far too talented for the bottom of the league, as they've routinely crushed opponents such as the Liberty, Dream and Wings. Against the more competitive teams, however, they've run into some trouble. For as talented as they are, they still rely on a number of young players, and added a bunch of new pieces this season, which has led to some inconsistency -- on the offensive end at least. The best sign for the Aces is that despite some rough patches on offense, their defense has consistently shut teams down, and they boast a league-best 88.8 defensive rating. For reference, the Dream led the league last season with a 97.5 defensive rating. 

Sparks: Similar to the Aces, the Sparks have all sorts of talent, but haven't been able to put it all together on a consistent basis. They also added a bunch of new pieces, including a new coach, and have dealt with numerous injuries. Still, even if they expected this team to be a work in progress, they would have hoped their talent could have carried them further than a 4-6 start. The offense has been nothing short of a disaster, but unlike the Aces they haven't had the consistent defensive effort to make up for their lack of scoring. In fact, the defense has been getting steadily worse during their losing streak. It doesn't take a genius to realize that isn't a winning combination.

Game prediction, pick

Neither of these teams has been super consistent this season, but the Sparks have been more of a mess lately. It's hard to see them figuring out their offensive problems against the best defense in the league. 

Pick: Aces 81, Sparks 68