Mohegan — Head coach Curt Miller said the Connecticut Sun better be prepared to deal with the “cannon effect” when they play the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.

Las Vegas was involved in a cause célèbre Friday night when it refused to play at the Washington Mystics after its trip Thursday to the east coast became a 25-hour adventure.

“They’re going to be shot out of a cannon,” Miller said. “I think they’re going to have a chip on their shoulders; there’s something to prove.”

Connecticut hosts the Aces in the all-important rubber match in their three-game regular-season series at Mohegan Sun Arena (3 p.m., NBCSB.

“We got to be able to match that ‘cannon effect’,” Miller said, “that energy that they’re going to come with, the fight they’re going to come with early, plus they’re committed to playing really fast. So we know we’re going to get a great effort out of Vegas."

The Sun (15-12) are in sixth place in the overall standings, but just 2.5 games ahead of ninth-place Las Vegas (12-14).

The top eight teams qualify for the playoffs with the first-place Seattle Storm earning a berth late Friday after beating the world champion Minnesota Lynx 85-75.

Ten teams are mathematically alive for the other seven playoff berths, but the Chicago Sky (10-18) and New York Liberty (7-20) are nearly too far gone to catch the rest of the field.

Only 4.5 games separate second-place Atlanta (17-10) and Vegas.

Las Vegas has been one the WNBA’s hottest teams having won seven of its last 10. Only Seattle and Atlanta have fared better over their last 10 games.

All-Stars Kayla McBride (guard) and A’ja Wilson (center) have led the Aces. They’ve accounted for 45.8 percent of Vegas’ points.

Wilson is having one of the greatest rookie seasons in WNBA history. She’s the league’s fifth-leading scorer (20.3) and is fourth in rebounding (8.5).

Wilson’s combination of size (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) and speed makes her so dangerous and a major reason why she leads the league in free throws made (155) and average free throw attempts (7.7).

“It’s unprecedented to see a player her size and strength to have such a great first step,” Miller said. “She’s extremely physical, extremely big, but she’s so explosive, and so she’s just really, really a hard (person to) guard.”

McBride has made 40.2 percent of her 3-pointers and is the league’s eighth-leading scorer (19.3).

Vegas has been exceptionally good at getting to the free throw line as its second in average attempts (23.5). The Aces have scored the majority of their points with mid-range attempts while attempting a league-low 265 3-pointers. That’s 149 less than Minnesota, which has shot the second fewest.

“You know they’re going to play with discipline to not take threes,” Miller said. “Their discipline to get high percentage shots is outstanding. You admire that. They can live on the foul line. If you don’t have a disciplined night (defensively), they can hurt you.”

n.griffen@theday.com