Becky Hammon slams Aces after 27-point loss to Fever

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon went off on her crew’s efficiency in Thursday night time’s 81-54 loss to the Indiana Fever, calling it “one of many worst video games I’ve ever seen.”

The Fever, coming off a victory Tuesday over Minnesota within the Commissioner’s Cup ultimate, broke a 16-game shedding streak towards the Aces that dated again to 2019. Indiana was with out guard Caitlin Clark (groin harm) for the fourth consecutive sport, however its offense, led by Kelsey Mitchell’s 25 factors, was nonetheless sharp.

It was the other for Las Vegas, which shot 26.2% from the sector. A’ja Wilson was the one Aces participant to attain in double figures with 29 factors; their next-highest scorer was Jackie Young with six factors. Wilson was 9-of-18 from the sector, however the remainder of the Aces had been a mixed 7-of-43.

“That is a whole lack of professionalism to come back right here with that effort,” Hammon stated of the Aces, who at 8-9 are fifth within the Western Convention. “They performed higher yesterday in observe by quite a bit. I do not understand how you step onto the ground with 20,000 individuals within the stands and carry out like that. It’s the worst offensive night time I’ve ever seen [since] I have been right here within the final 4 years.”

Hammon wasn’t any happier with the Aces’ protection, which has been a priority all season. Requested what was most problematic, Hammon cited the abundance of layups the crew allowed.

“They had been within the paint [getting] downhill layups all night time,” Hammon stated. “I do not actually have any solutions for you. The hassle and the main focus simply weren’t there. I believed they had been grabbing and holding us, so it is a rugby match. My crew would not wish to play rugby, so we get our ass kicked. There must be some struggle again if they’ll enable that form of physicality. My crew has to step up and match that physicality, interval.

“One crew is fickle, and one crew is just not. One crew is three steps behind; one crew is just not. They acquired all of the 50/50 balls. They busted our ass in each form of approach. There’s simply no bones about it. It is one of many worst video games I’ve ever seen.”

Wilson, the reigning league MVP, acknowledged the Aces’ defensive inconsistency.

“Offense goes to be crap right here and there, that is simply a part of the sport,” stated Wilson, who had an ice bag on her proper (non-shooting) shoulder in the course of the postgame information convention. “However the protection must be one thing we actually have to grasp and dig deep to do. Our protection must be 10 occasions higher.

“We will return to movie. The attractive factor about our league is we’ve one other day, one other sport to attempt to do higher. Some nights we present greatness, generally we present crap. That ain’t what championship groups are. So we have got to get again on observe. We have now to essentially lean on one another now greater than ever. I am not going to let any of my teammates maintain their heads down, as a result of they’re approach too good.”

Hammon and the Aces have talked all season about how they’ve been so up and down. On Sunday, the Aces ended the six-game successful streak of the Phoenix Mercury, who had been the league’s hottest crew. Las Vegas scored no less than 80 factors within the 5 video games earlier than Thursday, going 3-2 in these video games.

“If I knew which one was coming, I might put together myself a bit bit higher,” Hammon stated of her crew’s persona from sport to sport. “We exit to Phoenix. That was one of the best crew within the league going into that night time, and we put a strong 4 quarters collectively. Tonight, we put a 3rd quarter collectively and [other than] that, three quarters of trash. The offense was trash, the protection was trash. And sooner or later it’s a must to say that is a bit extra us, as a result of it is occurred [against] a number of opponents.

“They simply needed it greater than us, and I believe that is probably the most disturbing factor, when individuals need it greater than you. As a result of that is effort and that is coronary heart.”

The Aces gained WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023, Hammon’s first two seasons in Las Vegas. Final season, they superior to the semifinals, the place they misplaced to eventual WNBA champion New York. However this season has been a curler coaster.

Hammon was requested what the Aces can do to enhance their consistency.

“Perhaps we have got to shake one thing up, shake up the beginning lineup,” Hammon stated. “It is actually exhausting to know as a coach what crew you are getting on a given night time. If I knew what buttons to push to verify our effort was applicable each night time, I would be pushing these buttons.

“It is not a button I wish to need to push, if I’ve to [start] your engine. You have to come together with your engine began … with the gasoline pedal down. We might have gained 5 – 6 extra video games if we simply performed more durable. That is a approach to flit away a season. If we simply tried more durable, we might win extra video games.”