The WNBA season has started well for some teams in the league. The Minnesota Lynx have begun (9-1). Likewise, the New York Liberty have begun brilliantly (9-0). This contrasts with the likes of the Indiana Fever (4-5), Las Vegas Aces (5-4), and Los Angeles Sparks (4-7), who haven’t started nearly as well. Let’s discuss why the Las Vegas Aces’ struggles to start the season should be seen as concerning for their fans.
Why The Las Vegas Aces’ Struggles This Season Are A Concern
The Teams That Started Better Will Only Improve
Some of the teams that are higher than them in the standings as they made trades and free agent additions during the offseason. The Atlanta Dream acquired Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones, while the Phoenix Mercury added Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, and Alyssa Thomas. The Dream currently have the third-best record in the league while the Mercury have the fourth-best. Last season, those teams were not close to competing for a championship, which is a testament to how quickly they have changed their fortunes. It is also a testament to how quickly the players have adapted to their new franchises. This is not good as far as the Aces are concerned, as those teams will only get better once team chemistry further improves.
The Quality Of Teams They Have Lost To Is Concerning
Becky Hammon, head coach of the Aces, will not be happy that her team has lost to the Seattle Storm by 20 and got blown out 95-68 by the Golden State Valkyries. Three of their five wins have come in close fashion. One was a 75-72 win against the Washington Mystics, another was a five-point win over the Seattle Storm, and on Friday (minus A’ja Wilson), they beat the Dallas Wings by four. This is alarming as neither of those three teams have championship aspirations. Whilst losing to the Liberty is not the end of the world, they can not afford to keep losing games they are favorites for, as they will have a difficult opponent in the first round of the playoffs. They also have a hard run of games coming up. The Lynx, Mercury, and Fever await them in their next four games.
Las Vegas Aces Were Strong Contenders Before The Start Of The Season
Before the start of the season, many people would have viewed the Aces as championship contenders. They were seen as a lock for at least third place, considering it may take time for teams that made trades to gel. Players such as Chelsea Gray are coming back from injury, and they seemed to have the firepower to compete for another championship. They also found a more than adequate replacement for Kelsey Plum in Jewell Loyd. Loyd left the Storm after falling out with the management at the franchise. It seemed as though she was going to fit in with her teammates after a great preseason. This hasn’t been the case as she has only averaged 10.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. That is a far cry from her averages of recent years.
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