3 takeaways from Aces’ loss: Wilson’s absence felt against Mercury
One player’s absence was so glaring in the Aces’ 76-70 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday at Michelob Ultra Arena that coach Becky Hammon didn’t even need to say her name afterward.
“It’s tough,” Hammon said. “You know, we’re missing 25 (points) and 12 (rebounds). So it’s got to be by committee. I don’t know if we quite got there by committee today. … We’ve just got to get creative.”
Those stats belong to three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, who missed her second consecutive game Sunday while in concussion protocol.
Point guard Chelsea Gray led the Aces (5-5) with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Guard Jewell Loyd scored 17 points and guard Jackie Young added 15.
The Aces cut the deficit to 73-70 with 1:37 remaining after trailing by 11 points in the third quarter, but were unable to get any closer.
Forward Satou Sabally had 22 points for the Mercury (8-4), who also got 18 points off the bench from guard Sami Whitcomb.
The loss ended a three-game homestand for the Aces, who next play the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center on Tuesday.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Ball security
Young lost the ball out of bounds after a pass from Gray on the Aces’ opening possession. It ended up being a sign of things to come.
The Aces had 22 turnovers Sunday, which led to 22 points for the Mercury. Phoenix gave up 11 points off its 13 turnovers and also had a 22-14 edge in assists.
“Twenty-two turnovers,” Hammon said when asked what stood out about her team’s offensive effort. “It’s really hard to beat a team, especially a very good team, giving the ball up 22 times.”
Gray finished with five turnovers and four assists. She’s averaging 3.3 turnovers per game this season, a career high.
“They’re just throwing bodies whenever we’re attacking into the paint and in transition,” Gray said of what made it difficult to take care of the ball. “They were aggressive on the ball screen. They got some deflections. And so, (I’ve) just got to be poised and find ways to get people the basketball and (have) better decision-making.”
2. Bell leads bench on special day
Hammon praised forward Kierstan Bell after the game for doing a “nice job with her minutes.”
Bell, after a 14-3 Mercury run caused the Aces to call a timeout with 3:22 remaining in the third quarter, brought immediate energy out of the huddle. She scored a quick 3-pointer to cut her team’s deficit to 60-52.
Bell then drew a foul and made both of her free throws 1:26 into the fourth quarter to cap a 9-0 Aces run and bring Phoenix’s lead down to 60-58.
She finished with eight points to lead the team’s reserves. The Aces’ only other contributions off the bench came from guard Dana Evans (four points, two steals) and rookie Aaliyah Nye (two points, two assists). Guard Tiffany Mitchell made her first start of the season with Wilson out and scored four points.
Bell’s season-high eight points came on the first Father’s Day since her father Perry Bell died unexpectedly in January. She said at the Aces’ preseason media day his loss hurts, but she knows he’s still watching her succeed.
Hammon said Friday that even though Bell is averaging 1.8 points per game, the team still sees a lot of potential in her. She often serves as the opposing team’s key player in practice.
“Sometimes if I put a fluorescent yellow jersey on her and just give her the green light, she becomes the best player on the floor. I mean, it’s crazy. She can really light it up,” Hammon said. “She’s going to get more opportunities going forward.”
3. League safety
Nye took a hard hit to the face defending a drive by Mercury guard Kahleah Copper 28 seconds into the fourth quarter. She was slow to get up but made both her free throws.
Copper’s foul was escalated to a flagrant 1. Hammon said Copper’s hit likely wasn’t malicious, but the officiating surrounding hits to the face should change.
“There have been a lot of hits to the head this year around the league, not just us,” Hammon said.
Loyd has a broken nose from contact in the Aces’ season opener. Gray has also taken multiple hits, Hammon said. Dallas guard Paige Bueckers, the first overall pick in this year’s draft, returned from the concussion protocol shortly before Wilson sustained her head injury.
“I think it’s something that people really have to start looking at, because people are dropping like flies with concussions,” Hammon said. “This is a physical game. I don’t think anybody’s out there trying to hurt anybody. However, there are some vicious (hits). … It feels like the only way you get a flagrant 2 is to throw a punch and land it.”
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
