After three road games in six days with a depleted roster, the Las Vegas Aces are looking forward to a homestand.
The Aces dropped the first game to the Dallas Wings and lost Jewell Loyd to a leg injury, but bounced back to defeat the Golden State Valkyries and Los Angeles Sparks. The latter victory helped to kick off the Commissioner’s Cup.
Unfortunately, Chennedy Carter went down with an apparent leg injury against Golden State, leaving Las Vegas with a challenge in the backcourt as Dana Evans has yet to appear this season.
Free-throw deficits
The Aces struggled defensively in their matchup against the Wings, allowing Jessica Shepard, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd to all score 20+ points in the 95-87 loss. However, after the game, coach Becky Hammon caused a stir talking about the foul and free-throw discrepancies between the two squads.
“A’ja Wilson shoots one free throw,” Hammon told reporters after the game, “Chennedy Carter, zero, Jackie Young, zero. I’m fucking tired of that bullshit. I’m not saying they didn’t earn their 22 down there, but when Awak Kuier shoots more free throws than A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chennedy Carter combined, that’s a problem.”
In this match, A’ja Wilson had 21 points, with Jackie Young trailing with 15, and Chennedy Carter with 14. Only one free throw was given to those three, in which Wilson did not make the shot.
Of the 16 fouls called on the Wings, including a technical and a flagrant, only 12 calls resulted in free throws. The Aces made 7-of-12 and the Wings shot 19-for-22 from the line.
The disparity decreased in their second game, with the Aces getting 21 free throw attempts and the Valkyries getting 17. The Aces made 17 of their attempts and the Valkyries made 15.
In their match against the Sparks, the Aces faced their biggest free-throw deficit of the season, shooting 16 to the Sparks’ 27. The Aces tied a season high with 23 fouls. Two were technicals.
Young bounces back
Four-time All-Star Jackie Young averaged just 9.3 points through the Aces’ first six games, but seemed to find her groove on this road trip, scoring a season-high 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting against the Valkyries. She also recorded seven rebounds, nine assists, and a steal.
Last season, Young averaged 16.5 points per game. Young’s ability to shoot from virtually anywhere on the court gave her the nickname “special agent zero.”
Even with a pair of scoreless outings before the road trip, she’s still averaging 12.2 points per game, and there are still a lot of games left to continue improving.
Stephanie Talbot and NaLyssa Smith also played critical roles in scoring during this game. Both players were in double digits when scoring. Talbot had 10 and Smith added 15.
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Wilson takes a turn at the three
With the Aces being low on guards for their matchup with the Sparks, Hammon tried a new rotation: putting Wilson on the wing at “the three spot.”
“I actually did like the big guard A’ja in the three lineup,” Hammon told reporters after the game. “I actually did like that. When I was about to go back to it, they made a sub, and I didn’t like it anymore, but I was going to go back to it in the second half.”
Hammon mentioned that even former Aces guard Kelsey Plum was impressed with the lineup change.
“KP came and told me she was salivating at that lineup out there,” Hammon told reporters. She also shared her response, telling Plum, “That lineup would have never been out there if you were out there.”
Wilson ended the game with 25 points, 15 rebounds, an assist, five blocks, and three steals.
Point Gawd joins elite company
Veteran guard Chelsea Gray hit a major milestone during this game, becoming the fourth player to score 4,500 points, secure 1,000 rebounds, make 1,500 assists, and block 100 shots in her WNBA career. She joins the company of Alyssa Thomas, Diana Taurasi, and Candace Parker.
“It speaks to the testament of who I’ve been able to play with,” Gray told reporters after the game. “I’ve played with greats, I’m currently playing with greats. It makes me a better person, better player, and that’s when I can showcase to the best when I’m surrounded by that, and I enjoy playing this game, I enjoy making others better. That’s always been me.”
Gray’s accolades are demonstrated in almost each and every game. With her no-look passes, strong jumpshots, and ability to call plays, she’s proven why her nickname is “the point gawd.”
Against the Sparks, Gray had a no-look, over-the-head pass to Wilson, who extended the Aces’ lead to 39-30. Trick passes, including no-look passes, behind-the-back passes, and lobs, have become a defining factor of her game.
By the end of the game, Gray had 12 points, four rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals to achieve this accomplishment.
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What’s Next?
The Aces are gearing up for their next home game and second game of the Commissioner’s Cup against the Golden State Valkyries on June 6 at 12 p.m. PST.
Despite being down two guards, the Aces have found ways to win. With the leadership of Wilson, Gray and Young, and the versatility of Smith, Talbot, and the rest of the roster, the Aces look to secure another victory on Saturday.
Players like Kierstan Bell and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus have been critical on defense as well. While they may not appear on the score sheet, they’ve been able to set screens, get aggressive in the post, and do what they need to do to prevent shots from being taken.
With this rematch against Golden State, the Valkyries will be looking for revenge and an opportunity tie their series at 1-1. With the Valkyries only missing Iliana Rupert, the Valkyries look to take advantage of the Aces’ absences at guard and get their second or third win in the Commissioner’s Cup.
