Las Vegas Aces At .500 After Ten Games With 76-70 Loss To Phoenix on Father’s Day Sunday; Wilson Out Again
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Photos by Hugh Byrne and Story by LVSportsBiz.com staffÂ
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — It’s been an unsettled first ten games for the Las Vegas Aces, which won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023 and now sports a .500 record with five wins and five losses after a home court defeat to the Phoenix Mercury on Father’s Day Sunday.
The Aces played their second straight game without their franchise player, A’ja Wilson, who is in concussion protocol after taking a hand to the face in an Aces loss to the Los Angeles Sparks Wednesday.
After an opening season loss to the WNBA defending champs, the New York Liberty, the Aces’ next nine games included blowout road losses in Seattle and San Francisco and last-minute comeback wins against Washington and Dallas at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay hotel-casino.
And then there was today’s loss to Phoenix, a game where the Aces were within range most of the game like trailing by a manageable four points at halftime.
But in the end, the Aces could not catch a Mercury team led by WNBA veteran Alyssa Thomas and talented Satou Sabally (22 points) and Kahleah Cooper (11 points). Final score: Phoenix 76 Aces 70.
The Aces were plagued by 22 turnovers that led to 22 Phoenix points and a second half that resulted in only 31 points. They are just not the same team with the three-time league MVP, Wilson. The Aces made 37 percent of their shots.
The Aces just could not pull out the win like the Aces did two night ago against a weak Dallas Wings team. The Aces closed within three, trailing 73-70, late in the game. But Phoenix’s Sami Whitcomb (18 points) hit a three-ball and that sealed the Aces’ fate.
Chlesea Gray led the Aces with 20 points, while Jewell Loyd had 17 and Jackie Young added 15 points. Kiah Stokes had 14 rebounds with Wilson out.
The Aces hit the road to play the strong Minnesota Lynx Tuesday.
After the game, Aces coach Becky Hammon observed that more WNBA players are getting hit in the head and face.
She also noted that Aces player Kierstan Bell who scored eight points will be seeing more action.
Hammon also said 22 turnovers were too many for the Aces.
“We got to get creative right now,” Hammon said, noting the Aces miss Wilson’s 25 points and 12 rebounds a game.
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