Las Vegas Aces Open Season With 97-83 Loss In Great Northwest Saturday
By Cassandra Cousineau of LVSportsBiz.com
The Las Vegas Aces Saturday opened their much-anticipated 2021 WNBA season with a 97-83 loss to the Seattle Storm, the team that defeated the Aces for the league title in the Florida bubble last year.
Seattle opened the second quarter with a 19-6 run, led 49-40 at the half and was not threatened in the second half as Seattle’s Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 28 points.
The Aces’ A’ja Wilson, the WNBA defending MVP, led Las Vegas with 24 points.
It’s going to take time. The Aces may be one of the favorites to win the 2021 championship, but they’ll need a few more games to put together a winning streak after the bumpy start to the season.
“It’s going to take us a minute. You don’t just win a championship like that,” the team’s All-Star center, Liz Cambage, cautioned. Cambage re-joined the team this season after opting out last season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
You don’t just have a team that walks in and wins. Seattle, their key group has been together for years. You see the way they move the ball. Their offense is on a string because they know their personnel. We’ll be there in a few games. We’ll get it like that. — Aces center Liz Cambage
Las Vegas jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but Seattle countered and grabbed a 27-26 lead after the first quarter.
Wilson is the only returning starter from last year’s squad in the COVID-19 bubble inside the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. “Within our locker room and our huddles, we have to come together and figure it out,” said Wilson, acknowledging her team’s lack of cohesiveness.
“We have to be around each other more. Hang out and get to know our teammates,” Wilson said. “I have to be patient and allow the natural progression of the season to come to me and not get frustrated after one game.”
Led by three-time All-Star point guard Chelsea Gray, who signed as a free agent after spending the past five seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks, the Aces have plenty of pieces to contribute to that progression. The team also added Riquna Williams to bolster the backcourt.
Head coach Bill Laimbeer was both frustrated and realistic about the progress of his team to start the season. “The first six or eight games are going to be difficult. We’re not a cohesive team like Seattle is right now. It’s going to take us some time…I said it earlier this week. We’re not going to sneak up on anybody. We’re going to get everybody’s A-game. When we come to town, it’s going to be a big game.”
There were a few bright spots for the team that gave up a 12-3 edge in 3-pointers. One of those three long range shots came from A’ja Wilson, who made the first three-pointer of her career. The team’s six turnovers on the day tied for the fewest turnovers in a game since the team moved to Las Vegas.Cambage also scored in double figures (16) for the 99th time in her career.
Aces weren’t just cold from the three-point line. They were visibly bundled up at the start of the game as Angel Of The Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, because the venue is also an ice rink and home to the Everett Silvertips. The 1,031 fans in attendance got to witness the Storm hoist its banner and the team receive championship rings
For the Aces, there was more at stake than just the team’s first win. There was a significant pot of money on the line. This season, players are eligible for an extra bonus available through the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. The “Cup” was originally to be introduced in 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus.
“One of the things we promised in the collective bargaining was increased player compensation through special competitions,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “So the Commissioner’s Cup is a reflection of that promise we made and the idea to create a special in-season tourney actually came from the players themselves.”
The top team from each conference at the end of the first half of the season will battle each other in a winner-take-all game. Set to take place Aug. 12 in Phoenix, the “Cup” will culminate right as the Olympic break wraps up. The winning team will be awarded $500,000 to split among its players, along with a custom designed cup that will be passed on from champion to champion season to season
“To have the Commissioner’s Cup come to life in this historic 25th WNBA season is a testament to the players, fans, partners and WNBA teams who have supported and driven innovation at the league,” Engelbert said. “Together, we view the Commissioner’s Cup not just as a compelling competition, but as a multi-faceted platform designed to drive opportunities for broader fan engagement, create additional interest around our regular season games, convene around equity and equality themes in our WNBA markets, and provide the players with an opportunity to earn significant cash compensation.”
The new tournament will also have a focus on social justice, something the WNBA has been at the forefront of in sports.
Here were the game’s scoring runs and stats.
Las Vegas remains in Seattle for a Tuesday game on ESPN 2. Tip is slated for 7 pm PT. The teams will meet only once more in late June in Las Vegas.
The Aces play their home opener at Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday. Aces owner Mark Davis said all season ticketholders will get a refund and can attend all home games for free.
