Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon voices concerns over the team’s defensive struggles following a tough loss to the Dallas Wings, urging players to take accountability.
Bollywood Fever: The Las Vegas Aces endured a tough road loss to the Dallas Wings on Wednesday, prompting head coach Becky Hammon to voice her concerns during a lengthy post-game press conference. The defending champions, who have been struggling with rebounding and defense, saw these issues come to the forefront in their 93-90 defeat.
Hammon highlighted that despite having a clear game plan and thoroughly preparing by watching film, her players are still having trouble executing on defense. This ongoing struggle has left Hammon concerned and searching for answers as to how to motivate her team to improve.
“At some point, people have to take accountability,” Hammon stated. “I’m sorry, but you have to be up in pick and roll, you have to block out your man, you have to go help out your bigs when they have those big bodies in their crashing every time. Like when you know exactly what the other team needs to do and you can’t handle it, that’s concerning… I can’t make them do it. They have to do it, what am I going to do?”
The Aces were outscored 32-21 in the fourth quarter, a lapse that ultimately cost them the game. The loss dropped them to 18-12 on the season, marking their third defeat in four games. While two of those losses came against the top-ranked Minnesota Lynx, the Aces are held to a higher standard, having won the last two WNBA titles.
Hammon’s frustration is understandable given the high expectations surrounding her team. The Aces have consistently struggled on defense, conceding 87 or more points in three of their last four games. Despite boasting a talented roster that includes MVP frontrunner A’ja Wilson, as well as stars Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray, the Aces have not been able to translate their talent into consistent defensive performances.
In the loss to Dallas, Wilson delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 42 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out two assists while shooting an impressive 72.7% from the field. However, her efforts were not enough to secure a win.
With only 10 games left in the regular season, the Aces have limited time to address their issues and turn things around. Their next opportunity to bounce back will be on August 30, when they face the Atlanta Dream at 10 p.m. ET.
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