A'ja Wilson will be out for the Commissioner's Cup tonight against the New York Liberty due to a right leg injury. Wilson isn't a player who is used to sitting out. She has only missed a total of 14 games during her entire seven seasons.
Now, she's missing out on one of the biggest games of the season against an Aces rival. Both teams had a shot going into the matchup, but now the Aces seem much weaker without their four-time MVP, especially considering some of the issues head coach Becky Hammon’s flagged after their last game. Despite Las Vegas winning their last game against the Sky, 107-99, they didn't meet Hammon's expectations, especially on defense.
"We better fix our defense over here or else we're going to be smacked by 30 in New York," Hammon said in the post-game press conference.
She also added, "We have to care more. At certain points, it's not about game plan or scouting or this and that. It's about try-hard factor, and caring gets stops."
How do the Aces win the Commissioner's Cup?
While missing Wilson is a tremendous loss for Las Vegas, not all hope is lost for the team. The Aces have an All-Star lineup even without their lead scorer to get it done. It starts with their defense, as Hammon said.
They're going to be missing a 6'4” body in the paint and their top rebounder, so the Aces need to focus on winning on the boards. They are one of the top rebounding teams in the league, averaging 35.3 rebounds a game, but without Wilson's average of 9.4 rebounds a game, there will be a big hole to fill. The weight to pick up most of the slack on the glass will fall on NaLyssa Smith’s shoulders.
Moreover, the Aces will have to be especially good at defense around the 3-point line. One of the Liberty’s advantages is that they like to shoot more threes. Last week, when the Aces lost to the Liberty, they made five more threes and sported a better shooting percentage from the 3-point line. If New York gets hot from behind the arc, it'll be hard to shut the offense down.
The Aces can't make the same mistakes as last week, and the margin of error is even smaller without Wilson on the floor.
No one can replace A'ja Wilson
There isn't one player that can step up and fill Wilson’s shoes, so this will need to be a win-by-committee game for the Aces. A strong point for the team has been their assists. They average the most assists per game with 22.9, and their assists leader, Chelsea Gray, will play in this game.
They will need playmaking and fluidity throughout the team. Tonight, Jackie Young and Gray will need to do their part in making up the points for Las Vegas. The need for production off the bench is even more highlighted with Wilson out. It will only be Chennedy Carter’s second game back from illness, but she will need to show tonight more than ever why she is a contender for Sixth Player of the Year.
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