For the second time this season, the Las Vegas Aces were routed by the New York Liberty, falling to their East Coast counterparts 82-63 in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Final. Without Candace Parker for the 13th consecutive game, the defending WNBA champion Aces struggled defensively and failed to score 70 points for the second time in 2023. The other time came in a 99-61 loss to the same Liberty team on Aug. 9.
“Bottom line is our defense has had some slippage, probably in the last 10 games,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said, via M.A Voepel. “New York's defense has gotten better. Before that, that was a separation factor for us. I ask a lot of our big four night in and night out. And when they're not flowing or hitting [shots], it gets real tough.”
Both the Aces and the Liberty have rosters stacked with impact players. The two teams combined to have seven All-Stars this year, including captains A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Each matchup between them should be a close back-and-forth affair on paper, but the average margin of victory in their three contests so far this season is 25 points.
It was glaringly obvious that the Aces missed Parker's defensive tenacity against the Liberty. The 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year has struggled offensively this season but is arguably the Aces' best defender. She had one of her best games of 2023 against the Liberty back in June, contributing 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three combined steals/blocks in a 98-81 Aces win.
The Aces don’t have much time to dwell on their dismal performance. The two WNBA powerhouses will meet again on Thursday in Las Vegas.