Las Vegas under .500 after losing double-digit lead in Minnesota

Las Vegas guard Chelsea Gray rebounds the ball inside the Target Center. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces are under .500 following the team’s most recent loss on the road in Minnesota.

Las Vegas dropped a double-digit lead on the way to a, 76-62, loss Tuesday, June 17 to Minnesota from Target Center. Entering the contest, the Lynx were the league’s best team with an overall record of 10-1.

“Decision-making is always a part of turnovers,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “Yes some of the timing is off but we’re playing in crowds. We can’t play in crowds. We’re not passing it until we see three people.”

The Aces entered its sixth road game of the season against a team who, sported a perfect 9-0 home record. Moreover, a win means the Lynx will be playing in this year’s Commissioner’s Cup final against the Indiana Fever.

On the other hand, Las Vegas falls to 5-6 on the year while still playing without three-time MVP A’ja Wilson (concussion).

Up next, the Aces will look to get things right with a home game against the Seattle Storm Friday, June 20 from the Michelob Ultra Arena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

Both teams have already played twice this season with each club claiming a meeting.

Aces guard Chelsea Gray looks for an open teammate during their loss to the Lynx Tuesday night. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

“We’re still looking to play a complete 40 minutes,” Hammon said. “Until we learn to do that, we’ll continue to lose. The huge lapses with the turnovers are just about impossible to overcome.”

For the second time in three games, Las Vegas came out of halftime flat and allowed a big comeback by its opponent. Minnesota opened the third quarter on a 10-1 run to tie the game at 40 apiece on the way to a 26-13 frame for the home team.

“The shift was we became a different team again at halftime,” Hammon said. “Started throwing the ball to the other team. They ratcheted up their pressure [...] we didn’t handle it well, all of it plays into it.

“The other thing is not getting stops, I thought we again don’t play a full 40 [minutes].”

Soon after, the Lynx would grab their first lead of the game en route to a four-point lead before the start of the fourth quarter.

In the final 10-minute session, the Aces would fall behind by 16 points and would be held without a point for more than six minutes. During that time, the home team went on a 12-0 run.

“I mean, it’s the same people wearing the same uniforms,” Hammon said. “Same basic gameplan and we don’t execute it. If I knew how to make sure and ensure that the same quality came out at the start of the third quarter specifically, I would make sure that happens. But for some reason we come out of the locker room a completely different team and not in a good way.”

Ultimately Minnesota won the second half, 46-23, while playing a good portion of the second 20-minute session without MVP candidate Napheesa Collier.

Las Vegas guard Jackie Young looks for space inside a crowded paint against Minnesota. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Las Vegas played a third straight game without the aforementioned Wilson and would proceed to put up a season-low 62 points. In fact, it’s the lowest scored by the franchise in a regular season game since losing to New York, 99-61, in August of 2023.

“Some of that is our decisions on shots,” Hammon said. “It’s not just decisions on when to pass and when not to pass. It’s decisions on shots, we’re trying to shoot over two [and] three people and people are open.”

Guard Tiffany Mitchell was the first player into double-figures, which came in the fourth quarter. She posted 10 points in her second consecutive start on a near-perfect 5-of-6 from the floor.

“Just being available,” she said. “We’re down A and I’m playing at the four so just trying to do what I can and pick my spots. Still be aggressive and stay true to who I am but stay within the system.”

Guard Jewell Loyd led all Aces scorers with 12 points on four made threes to go along with eight rebounds which shared in the team-high with teammate Kiah Stokes.

As a team, Las Vegas committed 21 turnovers just two days after committing 22 turnovers in a home loss to Phoenix. The team gave up 27 points off turnovers in the loss to Minnesota.

“I think we just have to make decisions a little sooner,” forward Kiah Stokes said. “A few times our guards are great at getting into the paint but I think sometimes we take the extra dribble and then it’s just too crowded.”

Guard Jackie Young scored nine points in the loss but left the floor for a short period of time in the first half after taking a hard fall while defending a Lynx ball screen. Only one of her points came after her return to action.