Becky Hammon reveals Aces' biggest mistake with Breanna Stewart in Game 1

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon admitted her team’s biggest mistake in their 87-77 loss to the New York Liberty in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals — allowing too many mismatches against Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. Stewart scored 20 points in the first half, taking advantage of defensive switches that left smaller guards matched up against her.

“She had too many mismatches,” Hammon said of Stewart’s dominance, as reported by Michae Voepel of ESPN. “We were switching guards on to her and (Jonquel Jones) in that first half, and we’re not supposed to do that. And they destroyed us in there, both their bigs.”

Stewart and Jones combined for 33 points, with Stewart also leading a strong defensive effort. Alongside Sabrina Ionescu’s 21 points, the Liberty's star trio accounted for 62 of the team’s 87 points, while limiting the Aces' offense. Ionescu’s solid defense on Jackie Young, who scored 17 points but struggled with efficiency (6-for-16 shooting), was another key factor in the Liberty’s Game 1 victory.

Aces lose ‘hustle points' against Liberty

Hammon acknowledged that the Aces fell behind early due to these mismatches and struggled to recover throughout the game.

“You’re trying to dig out of a hole the whole time,” Hammon said. “It’s not the way you want to start, especially on the road.”

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Despite A’ja Wilson’s 21 points and a strong defensive presence, the Aces couldn’t overcome the Liberty’s well-rounded attack. New York’s fast-paced offense and defensive length wore down Las Vegas, forcing them into difficult shots and limiting their effectiveness on the boards. The Liberty outscored the Aces 16-6 on fast-break points and grabbed 12 more rebounds, dominating key hustle areas.

“We lost all the hustle points. You can’t suck on the offensive boards and not get back in transition defense,” Hammon said, via Russell Steinberg of ClutchPoints. “You either get on the offensive glass or you get back in transition and we didn’t do either.”

The Aces will need to regroup and make adjustments heading into Game 2 on Tuesday if they hope to level the series, as the team pursues its third-straight championship title.