‘Starting to click’: Aces lock up home court; another record for Wilson
The Aces beat the Storm 85-72 on Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle for their fourth straight win, and they’re preparing for an “uphill battle” in the postseason, Aces coach Becky Hammon said.
The win clinched at least the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the WNBA playoffs for the Aces (26-13), putting them two games ahead of the No. 5 Storm (24-15).
“Our best basketball is still in front of us, and we also know that we are starting to click,” Hammon said. “Ask me three weeks ago, and I was not liking us. And today, I feel pretty good about where we are at as a basketball team.”
A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum both scored 21 points to lead a group of five Aces that scored in double figures Tuesday. Jackie Young had 16 points, Chelsea Gray added 13 and Tiffany Hayes contributed 10 off the bench.
With her third board in the first quarter and 447th of the season, Wilson broke the WNBA record for rebounds in a season set earlier this season by Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese.
Nneka Ogwumike had 19 points for the Storm. The team was without guard Jewell Loyd and center Ezi Magbegor.
The Aces can still earn the No. 3 playoff seed with a victory in the regular-season finale against the Dallas Wings (9-30) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Michelob Ultra Arena, coupled with a home loss by the Connecticut Sun (27-12) against the Sky (13-26).
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. No seeding concerns
The Aces didn’t express much concern about where they’ll land in the playoffs. They’re more excited about their newfound defensive edge continuing to sharpen.
“I don’t care what seed we are,” Wilson said. “It’s a whole new basketball that you get a chance to play when it comes to playoffs. And it doesn’t matter what number is by your team’s name, you just gotta go and start playing the best basketball. And I think that’s what we’re trying to strive to do.”
Wilson joked that Hammon moved the Aces to zone defense in the fourth quarter and yelled a bit because their man-to-man defense “looked soft.” The shift worked, because the Aces limited the Storm to 11 points in the final frame.
“We’ve probably been better on the road this year,” Hammon said. “The great thing about defense is that it travels with you.”
2. Another record
Wilson, who became the first WNBA player to record 1,000 points in a season Sunday, can’t keep up with the records she’s setting.
The two-time league MVP, and overwhelming favorite for a third, rolled her eyes when informed of her latest feat, giving herself a deadpan applause of snaps.
“That’s cool,” she said, later adding that she doesn’t take it for granted after Plum and Hammon got mad.
“I mean, I’m 6-4 and I’m around the basket. I hope I can grab a couple rebounds for my team. But when it comes to just getting (rebounds) to get them, I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on putting the ball in the hoop,” Wilson said, adding that having any records in such a difficult league is a blessing.
3. Sixth Player of the Year
Hayes was crucial in a pivotal fourth quarter that saw the Storm take the lead thanks to Skylar Diggins-Smith scoring the first four points of the period.
At the 6:57 mark, Hayes stole the ball from Joyner Holmes and notched a finish on the other end that was so impressive she had to give a brief glance back at Diggins-Smith, who tried to guard it. The bucket gave the Aces a 68-65 lead, and they never trailed again.
Wilson called Hayes the clear Sixth Player of the Year front-runner, while Hammon admitted that she rewatches Hayes’ film just because her game is aesthetically pleasing.
“She looks like a spring chicken,” Plum added.
The Aces are glad that Hayes came out of retirement to join them. Hammon repeated for at least the third time this season that she doesn’t know where they’d be without her.
Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.