The winningest franchise since 2019 wasn’t supposed to be in this kind of mess. Sure, last season didn’t end the way Las Vegas Aces fans had hoped, but they still had all the tools: that championship swagger, most of their core stars back, the best hooper on the planet in A’ja Wilson, and Becky Hammon calling the shots. This season was supposed to be the blueprint for the next great Aces era. Well… that blueprint has a few rips in it right now. The questions about their shaky start and whether this team can actually contend again aren’t just coming from fans or critics anymore, they’re echoing inside the locker room.
“It’s uncharted territory right now that we have not seen this side or played like this since we’ve been together and played under [coach] Becky [Hammon],” Chelsea Gray said following their loss to an expansion team. And things haven’t improved much since. The Aces have dropped even more games, now sitting at 9-11 on the season, and they’ve yet to win more than two games in a row.
Their latest stumble was a tough one against the Washington Mystics. At least this time, it was a nail-biter- unlike that Liberty game where Vegas basically disappeared. Funny enough, the last time these two teams met, Vegas pulled off the win in a close game. Even this time, heading into the fourth, the Aces had the lead.
But with just 5.2 seconds left in the game, Chelsea Gray tried to call a timeout – only problem? The Aces were out of timeouts. That sealed the deal in a 70-68 loss. Painful, yes. But if you ask Becky Hammon, the loss went way deeper than one botched timeout.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 13: Head coach Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces looks on in the first quarter of a preseason game against the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“I mean, you know, tonight I thought we played a good first half. We just need to put together a full 40,” a disappointed Hammon said postgame. “You could feel the wheels start to come off, like I said, midway through that third quarter. At the end of the day, I think we missed 17 layups and that’s not even counting the wide open threes. I mean, we shot really poorly. That happens sometimes. I thought our defense, you know, for the most part gave us a chance.”
The game kicked off with both teams pushing the pace. The Aces ended a fast first quarter tied with the Mystics, 15-15. In the second, it turned into a bit of a shootout. Both teams traded buckets. But in the third, the Mystics started clawing back. With 2:01 left in the third quarter, the Aces still had a 52-45 lead. But Washington responded with a 9-2 run.
Just like that, the Aces – who were up by as much as 15 – dropped it. They shot just 12% from beyond the arc and were outscored 12-2 in the final 3:16 of the game. Even Hammon couldn’t sugarcoat it. “I mean, we got good looks. We missed them. Missed a lot of layups, not just the ones at the end. We missed plenty before that,” she said. “So those are plays you have to finish especially when you’re on the road, you’re down a couple players, like you got to have that buckling factor.”
As Hammon said, the offense was not flowing. The numbers proved it. Vegas had a negative assist-turnover ratio. It didn’t help that A’ja Wilson was already out with a right wrist injury. Still, while Becky didn’t hold back from calling out her team’s miscues, she also made it clear the blame didn’t fall solely on the players.
Becky Hammon goes off on officiating after loss to Mystics
Becky Hammon’s patience has officially run out. After another frustrating loss she went straight for the officiating crew: Michael Price, Blanca Burns, and Gina Cross. And when she was done, she didn’t walk out quietly. She literally ended her presser with, “Tell me how much my fine is.”
Even before tip-off, Hammon had something to say about the way games have been called this season. “I think the physicality is out of control.” she said. “You get grabbed and held every time you run a route, you get grabbed and held every time you set a screen and you try to roll. It’s not basketball, it’s rugby.” And then came the game. As already discussed above Gray tried to call a timeout… except the Aces didn’t have any left. What followed was pure chaos. One ref actually awarded the timeout, but after the officials huddled – and after Mystics coach Sydney Johnson went full meltdown mode – the call was reversed. Ball to Washington.
That whole final minute was messy. Before the timeout chaos, Shakira Austin had scored on a putback to give the Mystics the lead. Jackie Young then missed a layup. Gray missed a jumper. Then turned it over. And then Young missed again at the buzzer. After all that, when asked about the defense, Hammon didn’t sugarcoat it. “I didn’t have enough challenges tonight. I thought the officiating was awful,” she said. “Jackie Young got fouled at 33 seconds (left) on that layup — no call.”
Aug 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon (L) argues a call against her team with official Tim Greene (R) during the first half of a basketball game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
In case you’re wondering – yes, she did use her challenges. WNBA coaches are allowed one per game, but if they get it right, they earn another. Hammon challenged two calls against the Mystics. She won both. “I would have challenged seven more calls, and won them,” she said. “I have no idea what that was. Awful.”
All in all, whether it’s missed layups, questionable officiating, or just bad luck, Hammon’s message was loud and clear: things got to change.
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