After a strong season for the Las Vegas Aces, the defending champions now find themselves in their first extended battle against the odds.
On Thursday, the Aces failed to hold back against the Dallas Wings, who won the second half with a 95-87 victory.
“”I think our defense is bad,” Hammon said bleakly.[Defense] you do a good job in the first quarter, and then you just have a slip, that slip, and you don’t have enough time to stop the bleeding.”
Part of the battle
The Aces looked in good shape at the end of the first half, leading by eight points at the end of 20 minutes.
Everything would go south for them in the second half, however. The Wings were able to get to their game and never looked back, putting up 50 points in the final 20 minutes to tie the game after the third quarter and took a lead they would never relinquish in the fourth. It’s behind what the Aces defense has been all about, which has let turnovers snowball out of control.
“The first half, we were a very aggressive team, and then the second half, we didn’t do our best,” said A’ja Wilson.
Commander Shepard
While the dynamic duo of Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd would do their damage, it was Jessica Shepard who would sink any chance of the Aces getting a win to start the road trip.
Shepard was the dominant player in the field throughout the game, posting a triple against the Aces. The former Minnesota Lynx forward would post a game-high 20 rebounds, along with 22 points and 10 assists. Shepard was a key part of the Wings’ comeback, as the Aces simply had no answers on how to stop her as she became the first player in WNBA history to break the 20-point and 20-point barriers.
“Jessica can do it all,” noted Jackie Young, Shepard’s teammate at the University of Notre Dame. “I just think, remembering that when I was guarding him, just knowing that he’s trying to get the game back. He gets every ball, he gets every 50/50 ball, rebounds, all of that. It shows on the stat sheet.”
Trouble is coming
Don’t be surprised if Hammon gets a call from the WNBA following her heated presser after the game.
Although Hammon admitted that the Aces defense was nowhere near where it should have been in the second half, the Aces coach took the time to voice his complaints about the players. At the start of the season, the Aces only averaged 18.3 free throw attempts per game, tied with Minnesota for last in the league. Against the Wings, Las Vegas got just 12 chances at the line while Dallas got 22.
“A’ja Wilson shoots one free throw, Chennedy Carter zero, Jackie Young zero. I’m tired of that b–t. I’m not saying (the Dallas Wings) didn’t win their 22 down there, but when Awak Kuier shoots a free throw than A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young and Chennedy Carter, it all adds up,” Hammons said.
“And give me my fine,” Hammon said before abruptly ending the rant.
With the Aces losing back-to-back games for the first time since last July, they will be looking to get back into the fold with a win over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday.
