The Las Vegas Aces are one of the most dominant teams in the WNBA, and perhaps even the most dominant, but the team has a problem. If A'ja Wilson is on, which she so often is, things go well. If Wilson's shots aren't falling, or another team's defense is too oppressive, the team can crumble. They stop hitting buckets, and they stop grabbing boards. In the face of unexpected losses, the Aces seem to so often have no idea what to do.
That was on display Sunday, when the Aces lost to the Golden State Valkyries in game one of the semifinals. The Valkyries were relentless defensively, which helped steer the team toward a win not everyone saw coming. The Aces were playing without Dana Evans and Stephanie Talbot, and the team will head into the second game without Jewell Loyd on the court.
Injuries are often a team's undoing. The Aces also have a bit of a bench problem; if the starters aren't doing well, head coach Becky Hammon may find herself without a lot of options Wednesday night.
But she could always play Justine Pissott. The Aces picked up Pissott in July, snagging her from a developmental contract with the Indiana Fever. She averaged 8.7 minutes for the rest of the season with the team; a respectable number when you consider the team's starters are usually on the court for most of the game, and this is Pissott's first year on a championship-winning team. In those 8.7 minutes, she averaged 3.8 points and 1.0 rebounds.
But when she hit the court for the Aces for the first time earlier this season, Pissott more than showed that when she's needed, she can step up for her team, even if she hasn't been playing for them that long. She recorded 19 points — including five three-pointers — in only ten minutes of action on the court. While speaking to reporters after the game, Hammon admitted she only "just met" Pissott, but added, "Obviously, you guys know I love shooters, and she can shoot that thang.”
The Aces still have plenty of strength and talent in the team's corner, and A'ja Wilson is likely due for an absolutely electrifying performance tonight, especially since Sunday's game was not up to her usaul standard. But Las Vegas might still need a little boost if so many players are missing, and they'd be wise to give the rookie another shot.
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