‘Little things’: Aces not pressing panic button amid slow start

Entering the season with the goal of a third WNBA championship, the Aces were underdogs before they even stepped foot on the court.

Amid a rocky 4-3 start to the season, advanced metrics reflect even longer odds for the Aces to contend for a title.

Concerns reached a fever pitch after a 95-68 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday.

It was the Aces’ second loss by a 20-point margin this season, after a 102-82 defeat at the Seattle Storm on May 25. Meanwhile, the Aces’ four wins have come against teams with a combined record of 14-24.

Despite the uninspiring early efforts, coach Becky Hammon and her players maintained Tuesday that they aren’t pressing the panic button just yet. Instead, they emphasized an increased focus on the day-to-day.

“Some teams take a little bit longer than others, and that’s fine,” Hammon said. “What I’m concerned with is, are we getting better every day? Are we getting better every week? Are we creating good habits? That’s the bigger thing. And once we iron out those areas, the winning will take care of itself, but you can’t neglect the little things.”

The Aces are fifth in the league’s standings and have dropped as low as No. 8 in The Associated Press power poll — in a league in which eight of 13 teams make the playoffs.

“Valkyries appear a valid contender for a playoff spot,” one major outlet wrote. “The Aces are closer to the brink of collapse.”

But Hammon and point guard Chelsea Gray were quick to quell any mention of outside noise.

“I don’t care,” Hammon asserted when asked about external assessments of her team. “We don’t care.”

“We never have,” Gray said.

Hammon still sees the Aces as a championship contender.

“My viewpoint of this team has not changed,” she said. “My expectation, my standard has not changed.”

Gray credited the team’s mindset to having once been at the top of the mountain.

“I think if you look at the big picture, you miss out on the details, and that’s always kind of been our motto,” Gray said. “So, we see it all. We put it in our back pocket to use as fuel later.”

Promising practices

From the energetic and upbeat look of Tuesday’s practice at Michelob Ultra Arena, it would’ve been easy to forget the Aces’ lackluster start to the season.

Hammon ripped the Aces’ effort and toughness after Saturday’s loss but said the team hasn’t showcased those issues outside of the pressures of a game.

“All those things have been great the past few days. I need that to carry over,” Hammon said. “We can’t be the best practicing team. Let’s be the best team that can execute and have that same energy and that same vibe in games for a full 40.”

When asked about the main focus of this week’s practices with that in mind, Hammon quipped, “To get their heads out of their asses.”

As to what has prevented the Aces’ potential to translate to games, Gray struggled to find the words.

“I don’t know, man,” she said. “Being consistent, getting out of our own way. Understanding that there’s a formula that works and sticking by it, sticking to it on both ends of the floor.”

Struggles on both sides

With struggles on both sides of the ball, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s been worse for the Aces.

In the loss to the Valkyries, the Aces had three starters score in single figures while also allowing almost 100 points to their opponent.

Guard Jackie Young is averaging 16.1 points per game, not far from her career high of 17.6 in 2023, but she was limited to four points Saturday.

“We know we have a lot to accomplish,” she said. “I think the biggest thing right now is just being locked in on a defensive end. We know we can score the ball. The shots will come.”

Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson still leads the team in every major statistical category: points (22.0 per game), rebounds (9.9), assists (3.9), steals (2.0) and blocks (2.4).

“Clearly people want to take away A’ja,” Hammon said of the team’s offensive struggles. “Right now she’s getting double-teamed even when she doesn’t have the ball.”

With center Megan Gustafson (lower leg) and forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus (pregnant) out, Hammon said the key is getting starting center Kiah Stokes more activated as a screener.

Otherwise, she described the Aces’ issues on both sides of the ball as quite simple:

“Screen for each other. Run hard. Block out. Play transition defense. Stay between your man and the basket,” Hammon said. ”Like, these are basic 101s. But more importantly, start with play hard. If you play hard, you’ll be fine.”

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