Aces determined to pick up first home win on Saturday
Arion Armeniakos
Host · Writer
Las Vegas – The Aces don’t need reminding of the importance of making their home court a fortress.
0-2 through two games at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, the defending champions are not pleased with how they started the year in front of their fans — despite racking up a dazzling 6-1 record on the road.
So much so that when asked about her team’s ability to stack away victories after practice on Friday, head coach Becky Hammon quickly diverted into the Aces’ home woes.
“I’m very happy about the 6-1 (on the road). Not happy about the 0-2 at home,” she said after overseeing the final preparations ahead of the Aces’ Commissioner’s Cup clash against the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday.
“This is an important game for us,” Hammon added. “Just to establish our home court presence and defend Vegas. At the end of the day, we know that all these games matter. There are only 44 of them. It’s important that we value each one of them.”
Though the sample sizes significantly vary, the difference in the Aces’ performances at home versus on the road is stark. You don’t have to look much further than the point differentials. The Aces give up 100 points per game at the MUA, while the defense gets stingier with just 81 points per tilt allowed in away games.
Hammon’s biggest point of emphasis for the Aces’ return to Vegas after a 2-1 three-game road trip is finishing strong. She pointed out that her team has lost six out of nine fourth quarters through nine games — a stat she was not thrilled with.
“That’s not a good ratio,” she said. “I think getting off to a good start (is important), but we just haven’t finished games well. I’m going to have a good eye on that third and fourth quarter tomorrow.”
Hammon said that the late-game pattern is not exclusive to home games. She noticed the trend on the road, too, and wants to eradicate it as soon as possible.
“We are beating teams in the first three quarters, and then, I don’t know if it’s a let-up, but we start playing differently in the fourth,” she said. “We start playing tighter, and we have to fix those problems.
“We have to execute better and continue doing the things that got us the lead, not go away from them. And we have to defend.”
The Aces will welcome the 6-4 Valkyries into town less than a week after defeating Golden State 91-81 in Northern California on May 31.
Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson led the way in that one with 28 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks. Jackie Young chipped in with 23 points, 7 boards, and 9 dimes. NaLyssa Smith (15 points) and Stephanie Talbot (10) were also in double figures.
The Aces secured the win despite making eight fewer three-pointers than their hosts. The defense limited the Valkyries to just a 34 percent shooting clip from the field. Golden State has played twice since — beating the Portland Fire 95-77 and losing to Minnesota 87-84 last time out on Thursday.
The mood at practice at the MUA on Friday was upbeat. Everyone seemed loose but focused. There were jokes, but also a sense of urgency. Saturday’s game is just the 10th of the year, but for a team with the Aces’ lofty aspirations, 10 is too many without a home victory.
“Becky talked to us about that today. She doesn’t like that we’re 0-2 at home because that’s just not us,” Cheyenne Parker-Tyus said. “It’s a must-win game for us tomorrow, for sure.”
The Aces’ veteran big took a well-earned seat after wrapping up her shooting drills on the court before reflecting on her team’s success on the road to start the year — and what they need to do to translate it to their home floor.
“We’ve tried to really set a standard (on the road), and Becky is very clear about what she expects from us as a team,” Parker-Tyus added. “When we’re on the road, we're extra focused. Being home, it’s easy to get lackadaisical. We’re very sharp on the road, and I think that’s a testament to the standard that Becky has set for us.”
The Aces were blown out by Phoenix 99-66 on Ring Night in their season curtain raiser before losing 101-95 to the Los Angeles Sparks a couple of weeks ago in a tight affair on Banner Night. The Aces beat the Sparks 79-69 in SoCal on Tuesday — their most recent outing.
Having now put the celebrations of last season’s championship run behind them, the matchup against the Valkyries on Saturday presents the perfect opportunity for the Aces to pick up their premiere home win and turn the page to a new chapter.
