‘Need to play some defense’: Aces can’t handle Lynx’s hot night — PHOTOS
When the Aces got off to a 6-6 start this season in Chelsea Gray’s absence, coach Becky Hammon maintained that the Aces just had to make sure they didn’t dig themselves into a hole they couldn’t get out of.
After the Aces lost 98-87 to the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday at Michelob Ultra Arena to fall to 17-10, she didn’t hold back when asked to revisit that statement.
“I don’t really care where we are. If we’re in a hole or on the top of a mountain, I don’t care,” Hammon said. “You need to play some defense.”
As the Aces struggled to get stops in the loss, Napheesa Collier recorded 23 points and seven rebounds for Minnesota (20-8). Courtney Williams was just three boards shy of a triple-double, adding 22 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists.
Jackie Young contributed 26 points and six rebounds for the Aces, and Kelsey Plum had 20 points and five rebounds.
The Aces will have an opportunity to bounce back, as they travel to Minnesota to face the Lynx again at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Defensive struggles continue
The Aces recorded a 116 offensive rating Wednesday despite Minnesota’s defense, which is tied for second-best in the league.
However, the Aces couldn’t dial in their own defense, which has been an Achilles’ heel for the team this season.
The Lynx proved to be an offensive problem early, as they got off to a 6-0 run in the first quarter to get up to an 8-4 start and force the Aces to call the first full timeout.
At halftime, the Aces were already down 54-46. Three minutes into the third quarter, Collier made a shot assisted by Williams to give the Lynx a 64-54 advantage.
With it, the Lynx’s team shooting percentage from the field was improved to a blistering 70 percent, and Hammon called another full timeout.
The Lynx finished the game having shot 59.4 percent from the field and 57.9 percent on 3-pointers (11-for-19), while the Aces shot 46.5 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from deep (13-for-30).
Plum took ownership for her part of the defense, crediting Williams.
“She cooked me tonight. There’s really not much to say,” Plum said. “She had it tonight. And when you get your ass kicked, you gotta give other people credit.”
That said, Plum took issue with the officials, who called 22 fouls between both teams in the first half alone. She said she was willing to accept a potential fine from the WNBA, adding she doesn’t feel the league’s referees are consistent with the way that they call games.
2. Not utilizing bench
Much has been said about the importance of the Aces’ bench down the final stretch of this season. But the reserve players didn’t get much time to shine Wednesday.
By halftime, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve had called on every member of her roster other than rookie Alissa Pili. Hammon, meanwhile, hadn’t tapped Sydney Colson, Kate Martin or Kierstan Bell. Martin and Bell never saw the court.
With 3:46 remaining in the third quarter, Colson entered the game for the first time. It took her less than a minute to notch a steal on a pass from Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman. Colson ended the game with nine minutes of action.
When asked why she didn’t go deeper into her bench for a defensive edge, Hammon gave this answer:
“I don’t want to call anybody out. But some of our big studs were not guarding tonight. We can live with long 2s. Courtney Williams got hot. It was all the other mistakes, not necessarily by our guards. … And until we get our defensive identity and we stick to it, we’re going to continue to struggle. But we made so many mistakes, and it was my big dogs making mistakes. It’s just hard to overcome.”
Aces guard Tiffany Hayes did have 12 points in 22 minutes off the bench.
3. Wilson’s community impact
A’ja Wilson recorded 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, ending her WNBA-leading streak of eight games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The star forward only attempted one field goal in the third quarter. Hammon said Wilson “played the right way,” considering that the Lynx double- and sometimes triple-teamed her.
Wilson was honored before the game for her impact as a leader.
It was announced early Wednesday that she won the 2024 Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award, and she was honored on the court with a trophy. The WNBA will award $10,000 to the charity of her choice.
Wilson was recognized for her work with the A’ja Wilson Foundation, which she founded in 2019. Its efforts have included student and teacher scholarships with the Dyslexia Research Center, anti-bullying initiatives and donating school supplies in South Carolina.
She also hosted the “Unapologetic Girls Summit” in Las Vegas earlier this year.
Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
