SEATTLE -- Asked about her bench before the season, Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon said she would "play whoever is going to help us win games, period."
She also said "the last couple years we've had the Sixth Player of the Year. I think we're going to have it again. I just don't know which one."
Sunday was good example of the Aces having multiple players Hammon can rely on during the team's 75-70 road win in Seattle.
While reigning MVP A'ja Wilson led the team in scoring with 19 points on 9-of-22 shooting, and starters Jackie Young (12), Jewell Loyd (10) and Chelsea Gray (10) also scored in double figures, reserves Aaliyah Nye, Dana Evans and Tiffany Mitchell provided critical minutes off the bench in the win.
"Per usual, (Aaliyah's) ready to go, she was locked in. I thought Dana's run for us in that first half was really, really good. Was pesky defensively, and then was hitting shots, getting downhill offensively," Hammon said. "I thought everybody that actually came in. I thought Tiff Mitchell played great minutes. So good bench minutes. I thought overall today for us, and that's something I want to continue to build on."
In a combined 44 minutes, the trio combined for 22 points and finished with a collective +34.
"I mean we see it, Becky said it in the locker room, they be kicking our ass at practice," Wilson said. "I feel like we're developing that trust factor now, early on in the season, trusting one another and knowing exactly what each player can get, and making sure that we can heighten that."
Here are three takeaways from the win:
DEFENSE WINS
In their two losses this season, the Aces were torched for 97 points per game. But in their four wins, they're allowing an average of 71.2 points per game.
In each of the victories, they've allowed just 62, 72, 81 and 70. For the season, the Aces are now allowing 79.8 points per game. For perspective, the Aces allowed 84.1 points per game in their first championship season in 2022, and 80.3 ppg. when they won the title in 2023.
MORE ON NYE
The rookie sharpshooter out of Alabama finished with a career-high 10 points in a little more than 11 minutes of action. Hammon said she was a bit frustrated with her bench Friday against Los Angeles, and "forgot about" Nye, who played just 5:32 against the Sparks. Hammon promised her first-year guard more time Sunday, and Nye didn't disappoint, hitting 3 of 6 from the floor and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line.
"Each game we just want to get better," Nye said. "As we play together, we're getting more comfortable, so we want to just keep what the first group had, and just hone off that, and stay in the game and do the right thing and do the disciplined plays that we're taught to do."
NO CHARITY FOR A'JA
For just the fifth time in her career, Wilson wasn't shown any love from the referees and was kept off the free-throw line. The Aces are 4-1 in games Wilson didn't attempt a FT.
"I sometimes just gotta play and just know I'm not getting the call and just keep going, and make sure that I just not let it take me out my game," said Wilson, who extended her streak of consecutive double-digit scoring games to 57. "I'm probably gonna fuss and yell at the refs, but they had a respectful conversation with me back, so I can take that. But most definitely, this is just a league and a game that I can't expect just to get calls."