Becky Hammon’s assessment of the Las Vegas Aces’ semifinal opener left little room for interpretation.
“Good news is, um, we played like ass and only lost by 10. So dissect that however you want,” Hammon said afterward.
The 71-60 loss to the Golden State Valkyries exposed a problem the Aces had spent two days preparing to prevent: second chances.
Las Vegas returns to Chase Center for Game 2 on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific, seeking to even the best-of-five series before it moves home. Better shooting would help. But Hammon made clear that any response must begin on the boards.
Finish the defensive possession
Golden State outrebounded Las Vegas 52-25 in Game 1, including a 17-2 advantage on the offensive glass. Kiah Stokes collected 14 rebounds, seven offensive, while Gabby Williams and Kayla Thornton grabbed 11 apiece.
Asked whether energy or Golden State’s approach caused the disparity, Hammon pointed to discipline.
“All we talked about for the last 48 hours was rebounding and blocking them out, and we did not do it. Period.”
The gap bore little resemblance to the teams’ regular-season averages. Las Vegas averaged 33.4 rebounds per game, compared with Golden State’s 33.3.
One fourth-quarter possession captured the problem. Stokes grabbed an offensive rebound, then Thornton collected three more before drawing a foul. Even when the Aces forced misses, they struggled to get the ball back.
Yet Las Vegas trailed by just three at halftime and five early in the fourth. Chelsea Gray saw an opportunity in how close the game remained.
“Listen, you take away even half of their, their second-chance points, it’s a different ball game,” Gray said.
Get the offense moving
The Aces averaged 91.5 points during the regular season, then scored a season-low 60 in the opener. They shot 21-for-62 from the field and produced just 18 points in the paint.
A’ja Wilson, Gray and Jackie Young accounted for 51 points. The rest of the team combined for nine.
Wilson finished with 24 points on 8-for-21 shooting. Young went 4-for-15, and Gray finished 5-for-14. Las Vegas made only one field goal over the final 6:39.
Gray said the improvement must extend beyond converting familiar looks.
“But we got to move their defense a little bit better offensively as well,” she said.
At the other end, Williams gave Golden State 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. She made four of seven 3-point attempts, including a fourth-quarter step-back that helped turn a five-point game into another double-digit deficit.
The Aces need to contain that scoring while keeping Golden State’s rebounders from extending possessions.
Loyd’s availability remains uncertain
Jewell Loyd is listed as a game-time decision with a leg injury after leaving Game 1. She finished scoreless in 17 minutes.
Her status adds uncertainty to a rotation already missing Dana Evans, listed out with a knee injury, and NaLyssa Smith, out with a leg injury.
Hammon said after the opener that injuries left little choice but to use the available players. She also described turning to a zone late to help conserve energy with players logging heavy minutes.
“I thought that was one of our more atrocious games of the season,” Hammon said.
Wednesday gives the Aces a chance to answer that assessment before returning to Las Vegas. Game 2 airs on Peacock and NBCSN. Game 3 follows Friday at Michelob ULTRA Arena at 6:30 p.m. Pacific.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
