The Las Vegas Aces continued their underwhelming start to the campaign with a defeat to the Los Angeles Sparks, losing the game 97-89. Despite another gut-wrenching loss, it was the inefficient performance from the reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player, A'ja Wilson, that will sparked debate throughout the franchise's fan base about the numerous issues left unresolved in the offseason.
Unusual shooting woes hinder Wilson's performance
Before leaving the floor in the third quarter versus the Sparks, the 28-year-old superstar struggled to find her usual shooting rhythm, sinking just two of her 12 field goal attempts, equating to a woeful field-goal percentage of 16.7 percent. Wilson may still have registered 13 points in 28 minutes on the court, but had to heavily rely on free throws to make an impact on offense as she expertly finished nine of her 10 attempts from the charity stripe.
Nevertheless, the three-time WNBA MVP still managed to make her presence known in other categories in an attempt to propel her team to victory, recording eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and four blocks. These are statistics that highlight how Las Vegas has become highly dependent on Wilson's production in every stat column, and it has detrimentally affected their standing in the WNBA, as the franchise currently sits in sixth place in the regular-season standings.
Even with the skilled Jackie Young scoring a devastating 34 points, and the talented Chelsea Gray contributing 28 points in the matchup against the Sparks, the two-time WNBA champions continued to underwhelm on both ends of the floor when their second-unit entered to court with just three points being scored from their bench.
Defensive frailties and lack of depth cementing Aces' fall from grace
As the 2023 WNBA campaign concluded, the Aces were crowned champions for a second consecutive season and it appeared that a dynasty was forming. Nevertheless, the 2024 title defense ended in misery. A'ja Wilson was still lauded as the league's MVP while leading the league in points (1021), rebounds (451), and blocks (98), and the Las Vegas fan base pleaded for a capable supporting cast to be acquired.
Despite acquiring Jewell Loyd from the Seattle Storm in a trade that saw sharpshooter Kelsey Plum join the Sparks, the roster still lacks defensive resilience from its bench unit. In the previous fixture against Los Angeles, the Aces' starting five collectively registered eight steals and four blocks (all blocks were credited to Wilson). In contrast, the four players who entered the game from the bench did not contribute any blocks or steals to their team's statistics.
Not only did the second-string players not contribute on defense, but Tiffany Mitchell and Dana Evans recorded a worrying -11 and -19 points differential when on the court. Evans was only active in the game for around nine minutes. Undoubtedly, this has had a staggering impact on Las Vegas' 2025 defensive rating, in which they sit ninth overall in the WNBA with a score of 103.5.
The landscape in Nevada may seem bleak, yet the franchise currently finds itself in a playoff berth, an achievement that must be deemed a priority for the postseason. Head coach Becky Hammon will be optimistic that the sensational A'ja Wilson will have the talent to propel her team into championship contention. Nevertheless, a team that is heavily dependent on one star to carry them to glory rarely succeeds.