Defending champs fall as Aces win 5th straight

Make that five in a row for the Las Vegas Aces (19-14), after a 83-77 win over the defending champion New York Liberty (21-12) Wednesday night in front of a sellout crowd inside the Michelob Ultra Arena.

Wednesday felt like a playoff atmosphere, with the Aces’ recent turnaround being tested by the team who eliminated them last year. Any sort of test tonight, Las Vegas passed.

Head coach Becky Hammon expressed admiration for her team’s growth throughout the season, highlighting that much of its development is player-led.

“They’ve kind of flipped a switch […] in their preparation as a group,” Hammon said. “They’re mentally preparing better, they’re seeing it on film. They’re studying it individually without me in the room.

“That kind of accountability and ownership is really what’s been the difference maker, not just getting in the gym and just grinding.”

Neither team held a commanding lead all night long, with the largest separation for the Aces reflected in the final score. New York’s largest lead was seven, in a game that saw 13 lead changes.

Las Vegas trailed by two after three quarters, in what felt like a heavyweight slugfest. To this point, newly signed forward Emma Meesseman was the difference maker for the Liberty.

The former Finals MVP played her best game since returning to the WNBA, finishing with 24 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Her role has softened the blow of forward Breanna Stewart’s absence.

Through three quarters, guard Jewell Loyd was Las Vegas’ saving grace. She had another impressive outing since moving to the bench, sinking five threes tonight en route to 21 points. 

Meanwhile, guard Jackie Young did her damage driving to the paint, ending with 15 points and stuffing the stat sheet elsewhere.

But when times got tough in the fourth quarter, the moment belonged to the home team because superstar forward A’ja Wilson insisted on it. The reigning MVP snagged seven offensive rebounds in the final period and sank all six of her free throw attempts.

The second-chance opportunities were the Achilles heel for New York. After the game, guard Chelsea Gray described the commitment to team-rebounding as a product of the players coming together in all aspects.

“We’ve gotten used to each other’s habits,” Gray said. “What do they like to do on the pick-and-roll offensively and defensively. It's a different group, with a different look. What I really like is we’ve bought in.”

Despite being undersized, Las Vegas won the rebounding advantage 39-30. They generated seven blocks and steals apiece, outpacing New York in both defensive categories.

Guard Dana Evans saw her first starting rotation nod tonight, in what Hammon noted as an attempt to be quicker and more disruptive, specifically against Liberty guard Natasha Cloud, who finished with just six points in the loss.

Up next, Las Vegas travels to face the Phoenix Mercury (19-12) on Friday. They trail Phoenix by one game in the WNBA standings. With a win, the Aces could improve to the fourth-best record in the league.