Even in a game where A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were all out due to rest, the Las Vegas Aces end this challenging five-game road swing with something of a disturbing lesson.
On Sunday, a shorthanded Aces team struggled to find their footing against the New York Liberty, giving their cross-country rival the opportunity to earn a 111-71 blowout win.
The 40-point deficit marks the worst loss handed to the Aces this season.
“Not much, when my players’ health is most important,” said Aces head coach Becky Hammon in terms of thinking about playoff seeding and sitting her big three.
“The health and safety of the players come first. Where we end up, we end up, and we’ll play whatever hand is dealt to us. To me, this was just a bigger picture-type scenario. You take the L understanding that it pays dividends on the back end.”
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
The major bench players for the Aces had a real opportunity to prove they could shoulder the load with the stars getting the day off, and they could not take advantage.
Pushed into the starting lineup, the five Aces who started only mustered 19 points. Among the struggles, Stephanie Talbot and Brianna Turner both put up a -30 defensive rating, while Jewell Loyd did not record a field goal in 19 minutes. Liberty guard Marine Johannès single-handedly outproduced the starters with a game-high 27 points, adding emphasis on what was a harsh day for key pieces of the rotation.
While some of the struggles can be attributed to tired legs, the performances behind them could lead to some looks over their shoulders.
“I know I got a group that’s ready to get back to Vegas. It’s been a long road trip for us,” said Hammon.
Brand new Latitude
If there is a silver lining to be found in a difficult outing such as this, it was that the Aces got to see the potential of Ta’Niya Latson firsthand.
Getting an extended look for the first time since joining the Aces, Latson made the most of her 24 minutes on the court with 20 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting (7-of-8 on free throws). The rookie would also pick up four rebounds, two assists and a steal to show some level of versatility. While the result is far from what the Aces wanted, Latson showed good potential as a legitimate slashing guard down the line.
“I think this was a great opportunity for the bench to get some minutes and get some burn,” said Latson. “I feel like it’s going to give us a lot of experience and hopefully, when our name gets called, we’re ready.”
When life gives you lemons
Along with Latson, the Aces’ bench would at least be willing to make their mark with 52 points on a difficult afternoon.
Also getting an extended look, Mai Yamamoto put together a clean offensive showcase with 16 points and a team-high six assists, and her four three-point shots were also the highest mark for the Aces. Justine Pissott would also do well for herself with 11 points and three rebounds, albeit on a less efficient 4-for-14 shooting day. With the organizational depth performing at a much higher level than players who were trusted to keep things afloat, it does raise questions on what the Aces will turn to on the bench moving forward.
“It gives me options,” said Hammon on the promising play of the trio. “My job is to help us win basketball games and put the people out there that give us the best shot at winning. For me, I thought today was a great opportunity for them to build some trust and confidence and chemistry, not only with their teammates, but with myself, and I thought they took advantage of that.”