Aces’ resilience to be tested in decisive Game 3 against Storm

The Aces will be in unfamiliar territory when they take the court for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Seattle Storm on Thursday at Michelob Ultra Arena.

That could be a good thing.

The Aces entered Game 2 on Tuesday with a 7-0 record in first-round playoff games under coach Becky Hammon. They were also riding a 17-game win streak.

That’s why Storm guard Skylar Diggins described the Aces as a “team that probably doesn’t think they’re going to lose and haven’t lost in a long time,” after scoring 26 points in Seattle’s stunning 86-83 victory that set up a must-win situation for both teams Thursday.

The Aces overcame plenty of adversity to earn the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs, however. That could help power them to another victory in Game 3. If it doesn’t, their season is over.

Struggles don’t last

Reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, following the Aces’ shootaround Sunday before Game 1, threw her head back and laughed when asked how she felt entering this postseason compared to others in her career.

“This year is very different, only because the path is not like any other path we’ve had before,” Wilson said. “So I think it’s going to be special. I think we’ve learned a lot.”

The Aces had plenty of turnover this offseason. Assistant coaches Natalie Nakase and Tyler Marsh left to coach the Golden State Valkyries and Chicago Sky, respectively. Starting guard Kelsey Plum was sent to the Los Angeles Sparks in a three-team trade that brought back guard Jewell Loyd.

The Aces started the season 4-3. Point guard Chelsea Gray made it clear after a 95-68 loss to the Valkyries on June 7 that the team had a lot to figure out.

“What is out there, that’s not an Aces team we are used to seeing,” Gray said. “We are trying to figure it out in our locker room, in our meetings. … It’s uncharted territory right now. We have not seen this side or played like this since we’ve been together and played under Becky.”

The Aces found their stride later in the year. A key catalyst was Loyd moving to the bench and finding her rhythm as a reserve, despite still logging significant minutes.

“Me, A’ja and (guard) Jackie (Young) have a lot of minutes built up together. So there’s a lot of things that we do on the court that don’t necessarily need a conversation,” Gray said Sunday. “It just took time (for Loyd) to know what’s happening at both ends without even saying anything.”

Defense, more from bench

Loyd missed a potential tying shot in the finals seconds Tuesday. Gray also had a crucial miss late, while Wilson was 2-for-5 on fourth-quarter free throws.

The Aces’ largest problem was their defense. They led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter but were outscored 25-14 in the final period. Hammon warned her team, which split the regular-season series with the No. 7 Storm 2-2, not to get complacent before Game 1.

“When this team does get hot, they’re streaky,” Hammon said of Seattle. “So we know they’re dangerous. They’ve come back on us multiple times. … So you got to stay locked in for the full 40 minutes here. We can’t have those five, six, seven-minute lapses. I don’t even want a two-minute lapse.”

The Aces have shown the ability to play a complete game. They defeated the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx 97-87 on Sept. 4. Forward NaLyssa Smith also led a stout defensive effort in the team’s 102-77 win over the Storm in Game 1.

Hammon said Tuesday that Seattle’s defense and physicality were bolstered by the team’s need to “survive.” The Aces are now in the same boat.

They have to adapt to their circumstances, just like they’ve done all year. If they do, they should be able to advance to face the No. 3 Atlanta Dream or No. 6 Indiana Fever in the WNBA semifinals.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.