Washington Mystics center Krystal Thomas (34) gets blocked by Las Vegas Aces centers Kelsey Bone (3) and Carolyn Swords (8) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces forward Tamera Young (1) celebrates the teams 85-73 victory over the Washington Mystics following a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
The Las Vegas Aces celebrate their 85-73 victory over the Washington Mystics following a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates the teams 85-73 victory over the Washington Mystics following a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces forward Tamera Young (1) dribbles the ball against the Washington Mystics in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center Kelsey Bone (3) looks to pass against Washington Mystics forwards Myisha Hines-Allen (2) and Monique Currie (25) in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) dribbles the ball as Washington Mystics guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (32) defends in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) goes to the basket against Washington Mystics forward LaToya Sanders (30) in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) goes to the basket against Washington Mystics forward LaToya Sanders (30) in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) loses the ball and gets fouled by Washington Mystics forward Monique Currie, right, as Mystics guards Kristi Toliver (20) and Ariel Atkins (7) defend in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) loses the ball and gets fouled by Washington Mystics forward Monique Currie, right, as Mystics guards Kristi Toliver (20) and Ariel Atkins (7) defend in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) takes a shot over Washington Mystics forward Tianna Hawkins (21) in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) takes a shot over Washington Mystics forward Tianna Hawkins (21) in the second half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Washington Mystics forward Myisha Hines-Allen (2) looks for a pass through Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Washington Mystics forward Monique Currie (25) gets fouled by Las Vegas Aces center Kelsey Bone (3) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Las Vegas Aces center Kelsey Bone (3) celebrates after making a shot against the Washington Mystics in the first half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Washington Mystics guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (32) gets the ball stripped by Las Vegas Aces center Kelsey Bone (3) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 1, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said he implemented new defensive coverages before the team’s victory over the Washington Mystics.
The Aces allowed torrents of 3-pointers in their first four games, but held the Mystics to 3-of-18 shooting on treys and relied on help defense in their 85-73 win Friday at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The inspired performance seemed to please Laimbeer, who insinuated after the game that the Aces weren’t quite sure how hard they needed compete on defense in their first four games.
“We learned … how hard we have to play defensively and on the perimeter,” he said. “We made it very clear the 3-ball line was very important … and we need to guard it.”
The Aces don’t shoot the 3-pointer particularly well and allowed a WNBA record 17 treys to the Seattle Storm on Thursday.
So Laimbeer challenged his team, and it responded by closing out to shooters and funneling Mystics players into the paint, where imposing post players A’ja Wilson and Carolyn Swords awaited to turn away shots.
“We watched a lot of film. Coach kind of got on us,” Wilson said. “He said we didn’t really play defense the way we know our system operates.”
Wilson and Swords responded by combining for six blocks, altering several other shots around the rim and leading the Aces to a 38-29 rebounding advantage. Washington shot 40 percent from the field, the worst mark of any of the Aces’ opponents this season.
Wilson said the Aces are capable of playing that kind of team defense every game.
“It really showed us that we have to close out quarters … We never really closed our quarters. We were slacking off,” she said. “(Against Washington), we really kept our foot on the gas. We kept going and going. That’s going to be our identity.”