"The greats handle hard well, and we have not handled hard well."
Those the words of coach Becky Hammon after the Aces were handed their worst loss in nearly two years, a 109-78 demolition in Minnesota, as the Lynx dominated from the start.
Though Las Vegas showed flashes of energy in the first portion of the opening quarter, the Lynx won the first stanza by nine points, 27-18, and never looked back.
Minnesota outscored the Aces in each quarter by margins of 9, 7, 8 and 7, marking the 12th time the franchise has lost by 30 or more points.
A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Jackie Young finished with 14.
The 31-point margin was the worst loss since the Aces lost to the Liberty in New York by 38 on Aug. 6, 2023 - a year Las Vegas went on to win the second of back-to-back titles.
The difference from that season to the current one, it was just the Aces' third loss of the campaign.
Friday's annihilation dropped the Aces below .500 for the sixth time this season, each time after they clawed their way back to an even record.
Las Vegas has been above .500 four times this season, including Tuesday night, when it improved to 12-11 with an impressive 87-72 home win over the Atlanta Dream.
But the Aces have looked nothing like the team that came out of the All-Star break resembling a squad that was refreshed and revitalized for a second-half run.
The Aces lost to the Fever by 10 in Indianapolis on Thursday, marking the fourth time they've endured consecutive losses this season.
Last season, the Aces suffered consecutive losses three times. In 2023, it happened once.
Las Vegas continues its four-game road trip in Dallas on Sunday.
Here are three takeaways from Friday's loss:
ATROCIOUS ACES
The Aces are allowing the fifth-most points per game (82.7) in the WNBA after Friday's loss, which marked the eighth time the Aces have allowed 90 or more points in a game. It was the third time they've given up at least 100. Las Vegas is 1-7 when allowing 90+ points this season.
Since Hammon took over as coach in 2022, the Aces are 9-23 when allowing 90 or more points. They're 99-41 when allowing 89 or fewer.
Hammon said it was apparent by the third quarter the Aces were headed for a blowout loss, which eventually led to her rotating her bench and sitting her stars.
"In the second, we couldn't get any stops," Hammon said. "The defense was atrocious."
RESERVE ROTATION
Wilson, Young and Chelsea Gray all sat during the fourth quarter, while fellow starters NaLyssa Smith (6:17) and Jewell Loyd (10:00) shared time with all five reserves. Dana Evans and Aaliyah Nye played the entire fourth, while Kierstan Bell (7:00), Megan Gustafson (3:43) and Kiah Stokes (3:00) rotated in.
"It allowed our bench to get acclimated and moving and see what they can do," Wilson said. "When it comes to games like this, the outcome is gonna be the outcome. But at this point we gotta just start forming better habits. And that's what I was trying to see from my bench."
Wilson credited Bell's energy and Evans' offensive game to spark the Aces in the final perio. Las Vegas' reserves outscored Minnesota's bench, 32-30, for the game.
ROAD WEARY
Though the message after the team's first practice out of the All-Star break was coming out refreshed and revitalized following time off, the Aces looked anything but energized to play the best team in the WNBA.
Hammon said pregame that all teams endure back-to-back road games, and the veteran coach will never use excuses. But her squad was playing its third game in four nights, after beating the Atlanta Dream in Las Vegas on Tuesday, and then losing to the Fever in Indianapolis on Thursday.
"I mean, I think it's a factor," Hammon said of the schedule. "I don't think it tells the whole story. It's hard being a professional athlete. Physically and mentally it's exhausting. And, the greats handle hard well, and we have not handled hard well."