Wilson left the game on Wednesday, June 11 against the Los Angeles Sparks with 1:17 left in the third quarter. After being placed on concussion protocol, the Aces were set to take on Paige Bueckers and the Dallas WIngs without their star.
“I mean, obviously everybody wants A’ja to play,” head coach Becky Hammon said to reporters before that matchup. “I mean, probably except for Dallas. But, you know, it is what it is. It’s next woman up, and it’s an opportunity for somebody else to get time.”
Before that game, Hammon highlighted that while the injury is a blow to the home team, it had a potential upside; it could be intimidating for the opposing team when it came to scouting.
“It’s actually scarier because there’s a natural human let up,” said Hammon before the matchup. “So that’s [Wings head coach Chris Koclanes’] battle tonight, not mine.”
Koclanes also shared how intimidating it can be when a critical opposing player is injured.
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“You know they’re going to look extremely different,” Koclanes told reporters before the matchup. “They’ve shown they’re committed to playing small. So we’ve seen those lineups. But again, A’ja is leading them in every statistical category … so they’re going to look different, and we’ll just have to make adjustments on the fly.
With Wilson out on concussion protocol, the Aces looked to create a starting lineup that could perform at the same level to which she brings them. And through different rotations in three games, the results were mixed; the Aces went 1-2 with their star forward out.
Kitley stepped up for Wilson
As the Aces’ starting lineup for their match against the Wings was announced, the packed arena erupted when the final name was announced. In Wilson’s place, rookie forward Elizabeth Kitley was making her starting lineup debut.
Kitley spent all of last season recovering from a torn ACL she suffered in her final year at Virginia Tech. She made her WNBA debut against the New York Liberty this year, scoring her first points against the reigning champions.
With the Aces down by one with 4:04 left in the first quarter, Chelsea Gray shot for three. Kitley managed to grab the rebound, bank it in off the backboard, and give the Aces the lead. The arena exploded in cheers, practically giving her a standing ovation.
“I think Kitley got some solid minutes tonight,” said Hammon to reporters after the game. “You know, she’s still learning the league, but I thought Kitley did a great job for us.”
At the end of half, Jewell Loyd took the lead in points, scoring 16, along with two rebounds and two assists. Loyd ended the game with 21 points, including a critical 3-pointer that secured the Aces’ victory.
Before the game, Hammon highlighted how when an injury like this happens, everyone steps up and becomes a leader.
“We won the game barely,” said Hammon. “Everybody stepped up. I thought our bench was very impactful tonight. I had gotten on them hard after the last game, and, you know, they showed up.”
Over the course of the week, Jackie Young filled that position. In the 88-84 win, Young had 28 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a block.
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Young had 34 points in the 97-89 loss against the Sparks, which Wilson left due to her injury. Since then, she’s helped take charge and lead the young bench in this Commissioner’s Cup tournament.
“We knew that everyone’s gonna have to step up without her,” Young told reporters after the game. “She carries a big load for us every night. And I mean, you’re not gonna replace her, but I mean, everybody just has to do a little bit more.
Aces miss Wilson against Phoenix Mercury
The Aces struggled against Satou Sabally and the rest of the Phoenix Mercury at home. Las Vegas lost 76-70, and fell to a 5-5 record.
Tiffany Mitchell made her starting debut against the Mercury, filling in for Wilson. However, in just 15 minutes, Mitchell only had four points.
Gray took over the game with 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. She had been a key figure in the Aces lineup this season, currently averaging 14.5 points per game.
Kiah Stokes took the lead in rebounds, nine being defensive and five being offensive. Stokes took over her lead as the protector of the paint, having more rebounds than anyone on the Mercury.
Young struggled against the Mercury, only scoring 15 points, along with three rebounds, five assists, and a block. Despite having only five assists, she led the team in assists.
Mitchell stepped up, but Aces still outscored
The struggles continued for the Aces as they took on the Minnesota Lynx. The Aces fell 76-62, being outscored 26-13 in the third quarter alone.
Mitchell made her second start, scoring 10 points. Her game improved drastically since her start against Phoenix, as she went 83.3% from field goal range. She also had five rebounds and a steal.
“We’re down [Wilson] and I’m at the four,” said Mitchell after the game, “so I’m just trying to do what I can. Pick my spots, still be aggressive and stay true to who I am, but within the system.”
Loyd led the team in points with 12, along with eight rebounds, three assists and a block. Loyd went 33.3% from field goal range, along with going 50% from 3-point range.
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The biggest issue surrounding this game was turnovers. The Aces turned the ball over 21 times, allowing Minnesota to take advantage.
“Twenty-one turnovers,” said Hammon after the game. “Think about that. You’re turning the ball over every other minute.”
What’s next for the Aces?
Wilson made her anticipated return against the Seattle Storm on Friday night. She was listed as probable going into the game, and was worked back into the starting lineup. Wilson dropped 20 points in her return, along with 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks.
“I feel good,” said Wilson to reporters after the game. “I just got to, honestly, start putting the ball in the hoop and stop giving it away to the other team, that’s unacceptable.”
However, the third quarter struggles continued for the Aces, and they gave up 29 points. Despite efforts from the starting five and Aaliyah Nye, who had 13 points, the struggles continued in the second half.
“She gets minutes because she plays hard,” said Hammon on Nye after the game. “Her effort is there every time. I can’t say the same down the line, it’s there every time.”
Wilson struggled in her return, which is not surprising, considering that she missed three games. In an unusual turn of events, Wilson had seven turnovers. In total, the Aces turned the ball over 14 times throughout the match.
”She was a bit rusty,” said Hammon, “you know, seven turnovers is extremely unusual for her. So this one, you know, she gets a bit of a grace period on this one, coming off and not having played for a while.”
With Wilson back in the lineup, the Aces look to get her back to a full 40 minutes as the season stretches into July. The Aces are set to take on the Indiana Fever at T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights, on Sunday. Tip off is at 12 p.m. PST, and the game will be live on ESPN.
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