3 takeaways from Aces’ loss: ‘Classic letup game’ vs. rested Sparks
A’ja Wilson would like to change her answer.
The Aces star and reigning WNBA MVP initially brushed off any questions about the impact of fatigue on herself and her teammates following a 78-72 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday in front of a record crowd of 10,348 at Michelob Ultra Arena.
She insisted there were no excuses, despite the Aces (28-4) playing their fifth game in nine days.
Upon the revelation that the Sparks (13-18) were playing their first game in a week, however, Wilson walked back parts of her initial statement — with some intermittent expletives and lots of laughter.
“Give us a week off and see if we don’t shoot like this,” Wilson said.
It’s the Aces’ first regular-season defeat at home this season, snapping a 21-game winning streak dating to a 92-76 loss to the Atlanta Dream on July 19, 2022. The Aces’ loss to the New York Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game Tuesday at Michelob Ultra Arena doesn’t count against the Aces’ regular-season record.
The loss also ended the Aces’ winning streak against the Sparks at 13 consecutive games. Los Angeles’ most recent win in the series was a 76-68 victory at Crypto.com Arena on Aug. 1, 2019.
Wilson scored a game-best 25 points and had nine rebounds, including six offensive rebounds, but missed three consecutive shots near the rim to tie the game with less than 70 seconds remaining. The Aces also went 8 of 32 from 3-point range.
Coach Becky Hammon called it a “classic letup game” after the Aces rebounded to beat the rival Liberty on Thursday.
“It was (like) we’re just going to show up, and that doesn’t work,” Hammon said. “You’ve got to go out and earn it every time. Every. Time. And we didn’t earn it. They outplayed us today, flat out.”
Guard Layshia Clarendon scored a season-high 22 points to lead the Sparks. Guard Jordin Canada added 20 points and four made 3s, and 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike scored 19, punctuated by a layup with 21.9 seconds remaining to make it a four-point game.
The Aces begin a four-game road trip at 4 p.m. Tuesday against the Dream.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
1. First-quarter woes
The Aces got off to a poor start offensively and committed 10 of their 15 turnovers in the first half.
“(We were) much better in the second half after we started to throw it to the right team,” Hammon said. “But wouldn’t you love to get a couple of those back?”
Wilson was seemingly the only player able to make a shot early. She went 5 of 10 from the field in the first quarter, scoring 10 points as the Aces fell behind 24-15. The rest of the team was 1 of 7, as a Jackie Young 3 with 27 seconds remaining in the period was the only non-Wilson field goal of the first quarter.
The Sparks, in comparison, shot 66.7 percent from the floor and went 4 of 5 from 3. Los Angeles also benefited from a team technical foul on the Aces, who had six players on the floor during a fast break with 1:55 left in the first quarter.
2. Reserves maintain form
No members of the Aces’ Core Four — Wilson, Young, Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum — finished the game with a positive plus-minus. Instead, the Aces’ runs were sparked by their reserves, in particular, second-year wing Kierstan Bell and Australian center Cayla George.
Bell scored two points and two offensive rebounds and was plus-10 in more than 15 minutes, while being solid on defense. George hit two 3s to finish with six points and was plus-4 in more than eight minutes.
“We have to continue to squeeze water out of the rock, in the sense of getting more out of (Bell) and Cayla,” Hammon said.
3. Fan support
The Aces’ home winning streak ended in front of a packed crowd that broke the Aces’ Las Vegas-era attendance record.
Five of the top six home crowds for Aces games since 2018 are from this season, and the Aces lead the WNBA in attendance.
The crowd also sang happy birthday to Wilson’s mother, who was seated courtside.
“It’s definitely been a lot of fun just watching this fan base grow,” Wilson said. “From the time I was drafted here to now, I never would’ve imagine we’d have a crowd like this, an ear-ringing, floor-shaking crowd.”
Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on X.
