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Liz Cambage makes her Aces debut

By Ben Dull

PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 31: The Las Vegas Aces huddles during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on May 31, 2019 at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 31: The Las Vegas Aces huddles during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on May 31, 2019 at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX—”I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Liz Cambage said postgame.

The All-WNBA center was not happy that her team let one slip away Friday night on the road in Phoenix against the Mercury. But she successfully made her long-awaited season debut with the Aces, scoring 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

The Aces were held scoreless on five of their final six possessions after Kelsey Plum knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:57 to play. The Mercury escaped with a win in their home opener to avoid an 0-2 start.

“I thought Liz played very good basketball,” Aces head coach and president of basketball operations Bill Laimbeer said postgame. “She’s gonna be a force on offense for us. Gives us another presence in there. She got her feet wet today—that’s a good start.”

Laimbeer deployed Cambage in three stints, the longest being a 6:25 stretch beginning near the mid-point of the third quarter. She returned with 2:47 to play in the fourth with the Aces trailing by three.

Amid the joy in seeing Cambage on the floor donning the red and black for the first time, Laimbeer felt his team failed to get the job done to return home with a win.

“We didn’t execute. I made it very clear after the game,” Laimbeer added. “That’s why we lost the game. We didn’t execute on offense or defense in our starting lineup. It happens. It’s the worst game I’ve seen A’ja [Wilson] play in her entire career, but it happens also. Execution should always be a constant and we didn’t do it.”

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Wilson shot 4-of-19 from the field, including two misses on the final possession with a chance to tie the game. All five Mercury starters scored in double figures led by Essence Carson’s 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Brittney Griner added 18 on 8-of-11 shooting 37 minutes, many of which lined up with those of Cambage.

“I love going up against Liz,” Griner said. “She got me on a couple of those high shots because I was trying to play her for the drive. Overall, I think it was pretty good. I tried to make it tough.

“Big shout out to my guards attacking her off the dribble when we put her in pick and rolls,” Griner added. “It sucks. They do it to me, we do it to her, all of the bigs get put into it.”

Cambage’s tremendous skill level was on display in the first possession of the second quarter when she caught the ball with her back to the basket near the top of the key. She calmly pivoted, turned and faced the basket. Griner was giving a cushion. Cambage fired away and stuck the open 3-pointer.

Fast-forward to the 3:00 mark of the third. Briann January drilled a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game once again. Cambage got down to the other end, buried Griner in the paint and finished through contact and a foul to answer with an immediate 3-point play of her own.

Those two plays alone served as a powerful reminder of what Cambage’s return means for the Aces and the rest of the league.

No other player can rattle off plays like those in the same game against Griner—the rim protector at times known more for the shots that don’t happen because players have such little interest in challenging her in the paint.

Cambage will still need time to ramp her minutes back up. Friday’s battle of the bigs served as an appetizer for what’s to come down the line—a slugfest inside between two of the league’s premier centers.

“I think [Cambage] looks great,” Carolyn Swords said. “We’re really excited she’s back in the rotation. She looks strong, she’s determined. I’m really excited that we have all of our pieces back, and I think it was a great start for her.

“She seems really confident in the way that she’s moving and very sure of what she’s doing. You can tell that she feels good, and we’re happy that she feels that way.”

Aces fans and the city of Las Vegas won’t have to wait much longer to get their chance to see Cambage’s first home game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The team hosts the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.

Cambage was in good spirits Friday night, striking a balance between acknowledging one that slipped from her team while understanding that they’re just getting started.

“I feel like I made the wrong shot selection a couple of times,” she said. “And a couple of my shots would normally go in, but it’s my first game in eight months.

“I need to stop riding myself so hard right now. It’ll all come back soon.”

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