Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon was scathing in her assessment of her team’s performance in Thursday night’s 81-54 loss to the Indiana Fever. The defeat marked a rare win for the Fever, who snapped a 16-game losing streak against the Aces dating back to 2019.
Indiana’s offense, led by Kelsey Mitchell’s 25 points, was sharp despite being without guard Caitlin Clark for the fourth consecutive game. In contrast, the Aces struggled with a season-low 26.2% shooting percentage. The team’s next-highest scorer was Jackie Young with six points.
Hammon criticized her team’s lack of professionalism and effort, saying that their performance in practice was better than what they showed on the court. She also expressed frustration with the team’s defense, which has been a concern all season, particularly allowing too many layups.
Reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson acknowledged the defensive inconsistency but emphasized the importance of improving the team’s defense to complement their strong offense. The Aces have struggled with consistency this season, losing six games by double digits, including a 27-point loss to the Golden State Valkyries.
Hammon suggested that shaking up the starting lineup might be necessary to improve the team’s performance. She emphasized that her team needs to come out hard and play with energy every night, rather than waiting for things to happen.
Source: https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/45664826/becky-hammon-slams-aces-27-point-loss-fever