Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 | 2:37 p.m.
For the first time in three years, champagne wasn’t being popped, smiles weren’t shared and a championship wasn’t celebrated by the Las Vegas Aces. Instead, they’re staying home in Las Vegas, falling to the New York Liberty, 76-62 in Game 4, eliminated from the WNBA Playoffs.
“They’ve (New York) been the best team all year. Let’s be real,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said “We needed back-to-back, really great games because their sense of urgency was going to be different. Their group earned it. They earned it all year.”
After a dominant showing in Game 3 to avoid a sweep, the Aces suddenly reverted to the old habits of Game 2. Las Vegas had one lead, when it was 3-0, and spent the rest of the game chasing it.
It got as close as one point of the Liberty’s lead, but could never get over the hump. The Aces couldn’t get shots to fall, shooting 32% (21-of-64) from the field and 72% (13-of-18) from the line. They also struggled to contain Sabrina Ionescu, after limiting her to just six points on Friday. In Game 4 she re-found her stride, finishing with 22 points and shooting 50% from the field.
“You go back, watch the film, figure out ways that you can continue to improve and not really be complacent with how they (Aces) were defending me,” Ionescu said. “I was able to get up the floor, set screens a lot higher and that really helped me just get open. I’m thankful, my teammates found me.”
It’s a sour taste on what has been a turbulent year for the then-two-time defending champions. Multiple losing streaks, Chelsea Gray missing a quarter of the season due to injury and a lawsuit against the team by Dearica Hamby were all bumps in the road in the Aces’ hopes of winning another title.
The Liberty also had the Aces number, going 6-1 against Las Vegas this season. However, the Aces’ resilient attitude allowed them to keep the dream of three alive.
“You miss out on loving on people sometimes because you’re just caught up in the moment and you just want to recover from a loss,” A’ja Wilson said. “This year, we really noticed that we really have to pour into each other daily. Even though we see each other every single day, you can’t miss out on an opportunity to lift somebody up.”
Amid the fog that was the 2024 season, Wilson was constantly on a mission to avenge an MVP title she felt like she was robbed of last season.Posting one of the most dominant seasons in WNBA history, and re-writing the record books, Wilson won her third WNBA Most Valuable Player award by a unanimous vote.
It was for that reason that a usually steady Hammon became emotionally overwhelmed in the post-game press conference. She believed that Wilson deserved more after the season that she had.
“I guess a lot of it what hurts now too is just with A’ja having the season that she did,” Hammon said holding back tears.
As the Liberty move their record-setting sixth WNBA Finals, still looking for their first title, the question becomes “what’s next?” for the Aces. Hammon said that the group won’t be the same next year and with an expansion draft coming in December, the Aces will be allowed to protect just six players.
In addition, Kelsey Plum, Alysha Clark and Tiffany Hayes will all be free agents in the offseason. If the Aces don’t resign Plum, they will be without one of their core-four players and need to find a solution in free agency.
However, Wilson and Chelsea Gray both said that they want to get away from basketball in the coming months. Gray wants time with her 11-month-old son, Lennox, and maybe go bother Wilson. While Wilson jokingly declined Gray’s requests to hang out, she said she plans on “throwing the basketball away” and “touching some grass.”
The reigning MVP is looking forward to taking a break, but Wilson sent a message that she will be back when the time comes.
“Come in December and into January, it’s lock-in time,” Wilson said.