Las Vegas isn’t the same team that won two back-to-back championships anymore. In the offseason, the team traded Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks and got Jewell Loyd in return. Tiffany Hayes and Alysha Clark left in free agency, signing with the Golden State Valkyries and Seattle Storm, respectively. To replace them, the Aces signed Dana Evans in free agency and traded for NaLyssa Smith earlier in the season.
It’s not just the roster that’s changed, though. The Aces’ record also looks much different. Instead of sitting at the top of the standings, the Aces’ 12-13 record has them at the bottom of the playoff standings.
The Minnesota Lynx exposed an ugly truth about the new-look Aces in a 109-78 win. Las Vegas isn’t just struggling to incorporate new pieces and find a rhythm with Loyd and Smith in the starting lineup. This team simply doesn’t look like it can keep up with the top contenders in the league anymore.
Minnesota blew out Las Vegas
Minnesota has been the best team in the league all season long. With a 22-4 record, the Lynx sit firmly at the top of the regular-season standings. Las Vegas stood no chance against Minnesota in the teams’ second meeting of the season.
A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young were the only Aces players to reach double-digit points. Meanwhile, the Lynx had five players who reached that mark, including two 20-point performances from Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams.
The Aces shot only 38 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three, struggling with pretty much every aspect of the game. Las Vegas got solid shots up—three more than the Lynx—but simply couldn’t compete with Minnesota’s efficiency and multi-layered offense.
While the Lynx got contributions from pretty much everyone who stepped onto the court, the Aces encountered a familiar problem: a lack of production from the starters around Wilson and Young.
This loss marked the fifth time the Aces lost to one of the top three teams in the league. They only beat the Phoenix Mercury once and dropped all other games against Phoenix, New York, and Minnesota. While losing to great teams is nothing new for the Aces this season, Las Vegas hit a new low against the Lynx. They lost by 31 points, marking the biggest margin in any defeat this season. The other four losses had been at least remotely close.
The Aces don’t have enough around A’ja Wilson
A’ja Wilson may not win MVP this season, but she is still one of the best players in the world. She is doing a lot for the Aces, leading the team in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, and minutes per game. That hasn’t been enough for the Aces to win consistently.
Jackie Young is playing well, NaLyssa Smith has turned out to be an upgrade over Kia Stokes, and Aaliyah Nye has been impressive for a second-round pick. Nevertheless, the supporting cast around Wilson just hasn’t been good enough this season. Disappointing seasons from veteran stars Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd have been particularly concerning.