The slow start to the season did not help, either. In the first half of the season, the Aces managed a consistent 0.500 record. A’ja Wilson was out for multiple games with two separate injuries, first a concussion, then a wrist injury. At the beginning of August, the Aces held a 14-14 record, eighth in the WNBA standings.
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The game that nearly sealed the Aces’ fate was their first home match-up against the Minnesota Lynx, on Aug. 2. The Aces lost by 53 points, making it the worst home loss in league history. Las Vegas faced playoff elimination, and the team was projected to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
“I told them, ‘if you weren’t embarrassed from yesterday, then don’t come to this gym,’” Wilson told reporters after their match-up against the Golden State Valkyries the next day, telling reporters the message she sent to their squad. “We need the mindset to shift, because that was embarrassing.”
After that game, the Aces faced a near immediate turnaround. They are currently on a 12-game winning streak, including wins against the New York Liberty, Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury. The Liberty are attempting to defend their title, but currently sit at fifth in the standings. The Atlanta Dream, led by Allisha Gray, Brittney Griner and Rhyne Howard, became the third team to clinch the playoffs. The Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas is making her MVP campaign with multiple triple-doubles, and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
Despite the other teams making their playoff cases, the Aces became the second team to clinch a playoff spot. On Aug. 25, in their first match-up against the Chicago Sky, the Aces took down Ariel Atkins, Angel Reese and the Sky in a 79-74 win. Jackie Young led the Aces with 22 points, going 4-for-6 from three, and 9-for-13 from field goal range.
In total, the Aces had nine steals and eight blocks against the Sky, alongside 20 defensive rebounds. Defense has been critical point in turning the Aces’ season around, especially after the game against the Lynx. With improved defense, also came better decision making.
“I mean, decision making,” Chelsea Gray told The Next when asked about what areas she’s improved in this season. “Knowing where people are going to be, in spots, defensively, being more engaged, whether I play in the post or other guard.”
The Aces currently average 7.2 steals per game, along with 4.8 blocks per game and 33.7 rebounds per game. In their match-up against Atlanta on Aug. 27, the Aces had a total of four steals and six blocks. They also managed 32 rebounds, five offensive and 27 defensive.
Communication has been a key factor in improving their defense. Wilson has helped with scouting, giving everyone a person to guard. They help and guide each other on and off the court, which Gray says was a struggle at the beginning of the season.
“Defensively, we are a lot better,” Gray told The Next, “a lot more sharp. We’re talking a lot more, and our chemistry is growing. A lot of people focus on chemistry on the offensive end, but it’s on both.”
While specific players like Aaliyah Nye, Dana Evans and A’ja Wilson have been praised by head coach Becky Hammon for “playing the right way” all throughout the season, the whole team has now come to embody that phrase on both ends of the court.
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NaLyssa Smith has been significant in the Aces’ turnaround as well. She was acquired by Las Vegas from the Dallas Wings on June 30, and has been a critical rebounder for the team.
”She’s actually a really, really good rebounder,” Hammon told reporters before their most recent game against the Sky. “So we just tried to, you know, throw her into the fire. She’s responded well, she hasn’t had a lot of practice time with us, and learning on the job in games, she’s still getting all of our play calls down.”
Smith became a starter in just her second game with the Aces, and has since averaged 7.8 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. Smith told The Next about her transition to Vegas, and the team environment.
“I feel like we just have so many people around me that can help me in so many different ways,” she said. “I feel like I didn’t even really encounter, like, any problems with the transition.”
As for the Aces’ upcoming rematch against the Lynx, Smith was clear: “We all kind of got that chip on our shoulder versus [The Lynx],” Smith told The Next. “We’re dialing in at practice and just doing everything that we need to do for the game. I’m excited for it.”
Smith, Wilson, Gray and the Aces will face off against the Minnesota Lynx on Sept. 4 at T-Mobile Arena. They look to extend their 12-game win streak to 13, and demonstrate how they’ve grown since the catastrophic loss that could’ve spelled an early end to their season.
The game will tip off at 10 p.m. EST, and will be live on Prime Video.
