Aces on the brink: New York takes two-game lead as series comes to Las Vegas

At the beginning of the season, the common phrase spoken around Michelob Ultra Arena was “Aces vs. The World” following the team’s repeat at WNBA Champions.

Wednesday, following the team’s 88-84 loss to the Liberty, Aces coach Becky Hammon said that it was “Aces vs. Aces.”

20 points scored off of 12 turnovers and 24 Liberty layups showed how Hammon said the Aces beat themselves and have now put them in a position facing elimination for the first time in three years.

“We understand that it’s mostly us,” Hammon said. “The turnovers, we leave seven points on the free throw line. And it really was a one-point game, one-possession game, give or take. We got a couple of good cracks and missed, but it shouldn’t come to that point.”

Possession after possession it seemed like a Liberty player was consistently wide open under the net. Hammon’s frustrations stemmed from the fact that the Liberty put on a “layup clinic.”

Hammon mentioned that at one point in the game, she called a timeout because she was so frustrated with the team’s effort.

“They’re (New York) doing what they need to do to win basketball games, but we’re not doing what we need to do to win basketball games, not at a high enough level,” Hammon said. “It’s not good enough.”

Las Vegas got burnt by the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu once again, allowing the guard to drain 24 points and shoot 50% from the floor. The effort to guard Ionescu has been so bad according to Hammon that she wants the Aces to aim for a “C+” effort when guarding her.

The Aces are owning that these past two losses have been on them and no one else. There were a lot of calls in Game 2, including two Liberty challenges that went their way, and even if Hammon wanted to be mad at the refs or the Liberty, her frustrations were directed toward the team all night.

“It was Aces versus Aces tonight. We were beating ourselves,” Hammon said.

Las Vegas is now on the brink of elimination for the first time since 2021 and is at risk of getting swept for the first time since 2020. Going home, no team has ever come back from being 0-2 down.

Two veterans, Alysha Clark and Chelsea Gray, who have been in just about every playoff situation believe that the Aces can still win this series despite history not being on their side.

“It’s just about keeping that same mentality of ‘it’s five games for a reason,’ Clark said. “We’re going to go home. We’re going to be back in front of our fans, be on our home court. Our plan is going to take care of business.”

Hammon said that this team has been lacking an edge all season, but Gray believes that it’s not too late for the team to find it.

“I don’t think there’s something in particular that you’ll really see, but we know it’s there,” Gray said on where the Aces edge is. “It’s the energy that we feel in our locker room.”

Game 3 is Friday at 6:30 p.m. PST at Michelob Ultra Arena and a potential Game 4 would be Sunday. The Aces would have to return to New York if they can force a Game 5, where they’ve only won once in the last two seasons.

The Aces may also be without one of their forwards for the near future, Kiah Stokes, who left Game 2 in the third quarter after suffering a head injury. She’s undergoing concussion protocol and her status is unknown.

Their backs are against the walls for the first time in a long time, but the champions’ confidence is still high.

“Let there be no doubt, we’re in for a war or end up in one, but I grew up in the woods, so I don’t care,” Hammon said.