Aces Loss to Lynx Has Becky Hammon ‘Already Thinking’ About Potential Playoff Matchup
A’ja Wilson played a strong game against the Minnesota Lynx with 32 points on 10-15 shooting, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block. However, with Jackie Young going 3-11 on her way to just eight points and the Lynx getting at least 12 points from six players, it was not enough to lead the Aces to a win. Minnesota won the game 92-87.
Despite the loss, Becky Hammon didn’t seem too upset in the postgame media availability. She views the game as a learning experience.
“I thought we gained some good information going forward,” Hammon said, per a video on the Aces’ YouTube channel. “I got my wheels already thinking here. If we have to match up with them again, we’ll do some things differently.”
The Lynx and Aces already played all of their regular-season matchups—Minnesota took the series 2-1—so if the two teams meet again, it will be in the playoffs.
This game might have been a finals preview
If the Lynx and Aces stay locked into first and third place, respectively, they won’t meet until the finals. As Minnesota is unlikely to fall out of the top of the standings, the only way they will meet before that is if Las Vegas falls to fourth or fifth place and ends up being the Lynx’s second-round opponent.
Both teams have had their ups and downs and defensive struggles throughout the season, but they are the two squads that look most ready to win the championship. Both teams have the talent, experience, and coaching needed to win a championship—and all the motivation in the world to get there.
Cheryl Reeve hasn’t won a title since 2017, and the trio of Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams has gotten heartbreakingly close two years in a row now. The Aces, meanwhile, have a chance to cement themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in league history with four championships in five years.
The path to the finals won’t be easy, though. The Golden State Valkyries, Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, and New York Liberty will all be tough playoff matchups, even for battle-tested veteran teams like the Lynx and Aces. The Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics also can’t be underestimated, although both are still in the process of building future contenders around their young stars.
Even with tough early matchups waiting for them, there’s a good chance that the Lynx and Aces will meet again in the 2026 WNBA Finals.
The Aces need better guard play if they meet the Lynx again
“Our big dogs gotta play a little bit better,” Hammon said in the postgame. “I mean, A’ja was really good, and Lyss [NaLyssa Smith], but we got to get better guard play. There’s no doubt about that, and we will.”
Wilson looked like the MVP she is despite going up against a strong defensive rotation of Napheesa Collier, Nia Coffey, and Natasha Howard. Smith also contributed nicely with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Getting just 22 points out of Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Stephanie Talbot in the starting lineup, while Olivia Miles alone scored 23 points and Williams and McBride pitched in 12 and 13, respectively, hurt the Aces.
Hammon is great at making adjustments, so if the Aces and Lynx meet in the playoffs, she will be ready with some new defensive looks, especially against Miles, and actions to get Young going offensively.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.