Aces slide in standings after dropping second straight game during homestand

Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson takes a contested three-pointer over Atlanta forward Angel Reese. Photo Credit: Flash Gordon/Talk that Talk

Head coach Becky Hammon blew up and her team wasn’t far behind.

Las Vegas fell to 2-4 in its last six games with a 97-82 loss to Atlanta Tuesday, Aug. 18 from Michelob Ultra Arena. It will be the lone regular season loss against the Dream for the Aces after claiming the first two meetings in Georgia.

“Our effort wasn’t there today,” head coach A’ja Wilson said. “That’s upsetting because that’s one thing you don’t really teach, you can’t scout, you can’t really learn it – you just have to want it. That team is coming off a crushing loss and they just wanted it more. Same with us but we just didn’t have it.”

The loss means Las Vegas drops to 11-7 at home and 2-2 on this five-game homestand.

“Our challenge right now is our lock-in factor defensively,” assistant coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson said. “We did not take care of business like we needed to.”

Moreover, the defending champions fell to the fourth spot in the league standings and now sit behind Minnesota, Golden State and Indiana. Additionally, the team sits a game ahead of Atlanta at 24-13 this season.

That five-game homestand will conclude Thursday, Aug. 20 from the Michelob Ultra Arena when the Aces welcome in the Connecticut Sun. Tip-off is set for 7p.m.

Aces forward A'ja Wilson takes a jumpshot with assistant turned head coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson watching in the background. Flash Gordon/Talk that Talk

“I’ll take full responsibility for that,” Wilson said. “Because I can’t have my team come out and not show the effort and want-to factor that is needed especially during this time of the season.”

Just over two minutes into the game, Hammon erupted on her team following two early turnovers. That pause in the action would lead to just two Las Vegas turnovers over the final 7:44 of the opening frame.

In the second quarter, Hammon turned her vitriol toward the officials. She pursued referee Amy Bonner while arguing for a foul call. Within seconds, she was hit with a first and second technical foul leading to an ejection.

Hammon has been ejected two times in her head coaching career, with this one being the first one of the current campaign.

“She felt like A’ja had gotten fouled,” Thomas-Swinson said. “A couple of times. It’s the lens of the referee for not being able to see the angle. She had asked for that a couple of times and unfortunately it just didn’t work in our favor.”

Thomas-Swinson took over the lead seat after last being a head coach for Tulsa back in 2011.

“You want it to be muscle memory,” Thomas-Swinson said. “Because again, the intent is you want to be able to ignite your squad for them to be able to respond to that.”

Not long after the ejection, Las Vegas fell behind by double-digits before ultimately trailing by 11 points heading into halftime. Things got worse in the third quarter when the home team was looking up at a 15-point hole.

The Aces did have a final gasp in the fourth quarter that saw the team cut the deficit to single-digits. At one point, the club trailed by six points with 1:46 left in regulation.

Las Vegas guard Chelsea Gray rifles a halfcourt pass during the team's home loss to Atlanta. Photo Credit: Flash Gordon/Talk that Talk

“Just knowing when we’re locked in we’re able to execute our defensive schemes,” guard Jackie Young said. “Coming out to start the game so we’re not fighting back the whole game. When we knew the game was almost over, we tried to turn it on and bring some energy but we just have to have that from the start.”

The losing effort spoiled a monster double-double for Wilson, who closed the night with 27 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals. Those four blocks came as part of a 12-block effort for the home team including five in the first quarter.

Fellow forward NaLyssa Smith added three blocks of her own before kicking up offensively in the fourth quarter to finish with 10 points on a selective 3-of-5 shooting. However, she’d foul out of the game with 49.3 seconds left in the contest.

“[It was] her motor,” Wilson said. “Lyss’ motor is always going to be key to how we operate and how we move. It’s a vital piece of what we do. Her motor during that time kind of got us the juice that we needed. Wish we all could’ve had that juice and motor from the beginning.”

Guard Jackie Young scored 17 of her 24 points in the second half highlighted by 13 points in the third quarter. She also added five rebounds and five assists.

Fellow guard Chelsea Gray chipped in with 13 points and three made threes.

Between Wilson, Young and Gray, that trio accounted for 11 of the team’s 17 turnovers in the loss. Fourteen of those turnovers became steals for the Dream.

“Defensively, we needed to take full advantage of not allowing them to get paint points,” Thomas-Swinson said. “They did. And those live turnovers, us not taking advantage of taking care of the ball. Again, Atlanta did what they needed to do in creating those turnovers as well.”