LAS VEGAS — It’s been about two weeks since WNBA Twitter was mourning the death of the Aces, but it feels like an eternity.
Since Chelsea Gray’s return June 19, the two-time defending champions are 4-0 with two of those wins coming against teams considered potential title contenders in the Storm and the Sun.
Granted, Saturday’s win over the Washington Mystics wasn’t a masterclass as the Aces let the league’s worst team hang around a little bit too much.
The Aces also are unbeaten since A’ja Wilson gave an emotional answer in the post-game press conference after their June 15 loss. Wilson’s impassioned response to a question about accountability from The Sporting Tribune’s Willie G. Ramirez led to a viral moment, one that has served as a major wake-up call to her Aces teammates.
Since then, teammates have talked about how that moment brought them closer as a team and helped them to realize the common goal, which is something that goes deeper than winning a third straight championship. When your leader is both the best player on the planet and arguably the most impassioned leader in the league, a turnaround wasn’t just expected. It was demanded.
Las Vegas also got help from a couple of fortunately placed breaks in the schedule, which included three days off after two home games and then another six days off. These breaks allowed the Aces to stop the organizational avalanche and allow them regroup.
It's proven to be ever-so-valuable as they look like a completely different team.
The Aces next play at 7 p.m. Tuesday, when they face Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at T-Mobile Arena.