Aces vs. Liberty
The Aces took on the defending champions, the New York Liberty, in their season debut, falling in a 92-78 loss. The first quarter was closely matched, ending with the Aces leading 20-19 after a jump shot from Dana Evans. The Liberty picked up the pace in the second quarter, ending the quarter 47-33 after a 3-pointer from Chelsea Gray. The Aces attempted to close the gap in the third quarter, but the Liberty maintained their lead with a 63-58 score at the end of the quarter. After getting the score within two, the Liberty took off in the fourth quarter, and closed the game out with a 92-78 win.
A’ja Wilson led the game with a dominant 31 points, going 11-for-12 from the field, and making all eight free throws. She also led the Aces with 16 rebounds, 14 defensive and two offensive. Jackie Young took the lead in assists, with five, and three turnovers. Following the game, head coach Becky Hammon identified rebounding as one of the Aces’ bright spots, pulling down 41 for the game.
“Honestly, the rebounding, we did a great job on the boards,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “That’s where you think you’d get pounded, and a little bit in the paint, but I thought it was more one-on-one defense and just keeping the ball in front of us. It was Stewie slipping to the rim, layup, and those are the ones that are like, back breakers, right?”
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Aces vs. Sun
The Aces bounced back in their second game of the road trip, beating the Sun, 87-62.
Aces newcomer Jewell Loyd played with a black face mask after taking a hit against the Liberty; it didn’t stop her, as she notched 20 points including with six 3-pointers.
The starting five amassed a total of 70 points, led by Wilson with 22 and Loyd with 20. Young had 16 points, along with two 3-pointers. Gray had 12 points, along with six rebounds and four assists.
Wilson again dominated on the boards, notching 10 rebounds, seven defensive and three offensive. The Aces dominated the game, not giving the Sun the lead. The first quarter ended with a score of 24-13, and continued to grow into the half. The dominance continued in the third quarter, with a buzzer-beater 3-pointer from Kierstan Bell. Aaliyah Nye extended the lead with a 3-pointer, helping the Aces secure the 87-62 win.
“I’ve been sitting on my ass for the last couple of months,” said Wilson, who didn’t play in the offseason. “I want to play. I want to get out there. I love that I could play with the young group and get their wheels going.”
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Key Takeaways
The Aces defense struggled against the Liberty. The Liberty had nearly a 50% field goal rate, scoring 35-72 (or 48.6%). They managed 56 points in the paint, leaving the Aces with 32.
“Not a good outing for us defensively,” said Wilson. “I think the second quarter, obviously, is the one that really, truly did it to us. We can’t have second quarters like that against any team in this league.”
Defense proved to be a kryptonite for the Aces in their semifinal run against the Liberty as well. They lost the series 3-1, with the Liberty taking Game 4 with a 76-62 win. However, against Connecticut, protecting the paint proved to be their priority defense-wise. They held the Sun to only 34 points in the paint, with a field goal rate of 34.4%. The Sun had no lead throughout the entire game, with the Aces getting their lead up to 35 points during the game.
Offensive hesitation proved to be a major factor in the loss against the Liberty. Loyd struggled in her debut, only scoring five points. She went two for 10 in field goal attempts and one for six in 3-point attempts.
“Knowing Jewell, she’s not happy about her performance,” said Wilson, “but I just wanted to make sure that I could constantly be in her ear to let her know to always remember who she is. I don’t ever want her to get lost in that.”
Kiah Stokes struggled with her shots, only attempting one 3-pointer and one field goal. Nye attempted only three shots in four minutes. Tiffany Mitchell only attempted five shots. None were made.
Against Connecticut, the shooting confidence among the team bounced back. Loyd came back in the second game with 20 points, with a 50% field goal rate. Nye managed to sink a 3-pointer within 12 minutes. While Mitchell had one shot attempt, she made all four free throws given to her.
Communication improved drastically in the second game against Connecticut. While new players are still adjusting to their roles, the bench picked up in productivity, most players having at least one point in that game.
“We’re going to have a very productive bench,” said Hammon in the postgame press conference. “Everybody seems to be staying ready when their number’s called. I think [Mitchell] is still getting her footing. I think Dana is still figuring it out a little bit. But once they get comfortable in our system and kind of get their rhythm and timing, I think they’re going to be very formidable coming in off the bench.”
It may be the beginning of the season, but the connections are showing. With Loyd in the starting five with former Team USA teammates, the starting five’s offensive connection is getting stronger each game. Key bench pieces adapting to the Aces’ system look to prove their worth as the season progresses. With increased and better communication, the Aces continue their push for their third championship.
The Aces take on the Washington Mystics at 7 p.m. PST on May 23 and the Seattle Storm at 3 p.m. PST in Seattle, WA on May 25.
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