Becky Hammon Blasts Aces After Humiliating Loss: “This Was Trash Basketball”
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon didn’t mince her words after watching her team crumble in an 81-54 defeat to the Indiana Fever on Thursday night. The performance was so poor, Hammon called it "one of the worst games I've ever seen."
The Fever, fresh off a Commissioner’s Cup victory over Minnesota, ended their 16-game losing streak against the Aces — a drought that stretched back to 2019. And they did it without Caitlin Clark, who remained sidelined for a fourth game with a groin injury.
Still, Indiana looked sharp, with Kelsey Mitchell erupting for 25 points and the team clicking offensively. Meanwhile, Las Vegas fell flat, shooting an abysmal 26.2% from the field. A’ja Wilson was the only Ace to reach double figures, scoring 29 points, while the rest of the team combined for just 25. Jackie Young, the second-highest scorer, had a disappointing six points.
Coach Hammon was livid with the lack of intensity.
“It was a disgraceful effort. We practiced better than this yesterday,” she said. “To walk onto the court in front of 20,000 fans and deliver that? That’s a total lack of professionalism. Offensively, it was flat-out the worst night I’ve had here in four years.”
But it wasn’t just the offense that fell apart — defensive issues were on full display as well. Hammon highlighted how Indiana easily got to the rim, something that’s plagued the Aces throughout the season.
“They were getting easy layups all night long,” she said. “There was no focus, no intensity. It felt like a rugby match, and my team wanted nothing to do with that fight. If that’s the style of play, you’ve got to match that fire — we didn’t.”
Her frustration boiled over further.
“They beat us to every loose ball, played faster, tougher, and smarter. We got outworked in every way. No excuses — this game was garbage from start to finish.”
A’ja Wilson, the reigning WNBA MVP, didn’t shy away from accountability either.
“Some nights your offense is going to be off — that’s just basketball,” she said postgame, ice bag strapped to her shoulder. “But our defense has to be the one thing we can rely on. It has to be consistent, and it just isn’t right now.”
Still, Wilson offered hope.
“We’ve got another game, another chance. That’s the beautiful part of this league. We need to stay together, lean on each other, and get back to playing like champions. I won’t let my teammates get discouraged — we’re too talented to let this spiral.”
Inconsistency has haunted the Aces this year. Just last week, they ended the Phoenix Mercury’s six-game win streak, delivering a strong, four-quarter performance. But Thursday’s game was the exact opposite.
“If I knew which version of my team was going to show up, I’d be better prepared,” Hammon said. “Against Phoenix, we looked like contenders. Tonight? We had one decent quarter, the rest was trash — offensively and defensively. This isn’t just a fluke anymore, it’s a pattern.”
And the part that stings the most?
“They just wanted it more, and that’s a tough pill to swallow. Effort is non-negotiable. You don’t need talent to hustle, to care, to fight — and we didn’t bring any of that tonight.”
This season has been a rollercoaster for the Aces, far from the dominant squads that won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. They made the semifinals last year, but this time around, they’ve been shaky. Six of their nine losses have come by double-digit margins, including blowouts against Golden State and Seattle.
Asked how the team can turn things around, Hammon was blunt.
“Maybe it’s time to shake up the starting five,” she said. “As a coach, not knowing who’s going to show up each night is frustrating. I wish there was a button I could press to guarantee effort — I’d press it every time.”
She finished with a challenge to her players:
“I shouldn’t have to start your engine. You’ve got to bring that fire on your own. We could’ve won five or six more games this season if we just played harder. That’s the truth. And if we don’t figure it out, this season’s going to slip away fast.”
Description:
"Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon slams her team after a crushing 81-54 loss to the Indiana Fever. A’ja Wilson responds, calling for stronger defense. Read the full breakdown of the Aces' inconsistent season and what needs to change."