The Las Vegas Aces were up by as much as 12 points before the Atlanta Dream claimed a 78-74 win on Friday. MVP A'ja Wilson scored 28 points for the back-to-back champions. However, a spectacular showing by the Dream's Allisha Gray–who scored a team-high 24 point–as well as a crazy amount of free throws turned the tides for the defending champions. 

“Just a very sloppy, sloppy game on our part,” head coach Becky Hammon said of the loss.

It was a tense game from start to finish, with close shot calls and heated moments between opposing players. Still, the Las Vegas star trio delivered. Aside from Wilson, who also had nine rebounds, Kelsey Plum registered 19 points, while Jackie Young put up 15 for the Aces.

In the low-scoring first quarter, the Aces led by one at 11-10. Las Vegas kept their lead in the second, but the Dream trimmed that before the beginning of the third quarter with back-to-back layups from Haley Jones and Ryhne Howard. Las Vegas led 34 to 28 at halftime. But, Atlanta came back with fire and locked down the game. Las Vegas committed five turnovers in the third period, which allowed the Dream to score 25 in the quarter and tie the game at 53 heading to the fourth.

Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10), Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22), and Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes (41) celebrate a play during the second half of game one of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Somewhere along the way, Las Vegas lost the spirit of team play, according to Coach Hammon.

“I thought the offense was poor pretty much all night,” Hammon said. “We didn’t want to do the little things and I thought it turned into my turn, your turn type of basketball, which has never been a part of us.”

The Aces outscored the Dream 30-20 in the paint but had trouble outside the perimeter, though it's not for the lack of trying. Las Vegas made six of its 21 attempts from deep, while the Dream made 50% (8-of-16) of theirs.

“For us to score 74 points in a game, in my three years that hasn’t happened very often,” Hammon said in her postgame presser. The Aces' 74 points are the fewest they have scored this season, and their fewest since Washington held them to 62 on August 26, 2023.

Where’s the Aces' bench

Interestingly enough, Vegas was lacking on the bench. Though the team is still missing “Point Gawd” Chelsea Gray due to a left leg injury, Las Vegas usually has an ace–or a few–up their sleeves when it comes to the bench.

Friday night, the bench accounted for just five points, whereas the Dream’s accounted for 16. So, either the Atlanta bench came to play or the Aces subs just didn’t get a chance to deliver.

Jackie Young’s heated moment with Aerial Powers

Why do people keep messing with Jackie Young? Or is she messing with them?

Young (AKA the Silent Assassin) had a stellar game. Not only did the Aces point guard knock down 15 points, she also contributed six rebounds and five assists. But Young did struggle from the field, landing only four of her 15 attempts. Towards the end of the game, and for the second time this season, the usually quiet Aces star was involved in a fiery altercation. This time it was with Dream’s Aerial Powers.

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With only 1:25 minutes remaining in the game, the two were seen in each other’s faces in what appeared to be a very heated conversation. Of course, on the winning end and surrounded by her fans, Powers seemed more animated than Young. Both were pulled apart by referees and players. Aces' Kia Stokes literally put herself in the middle of it.

Both players were given technical fouls.

Fouls and Free Throws

Unfortunately, fouls seemed to be the move of the night.

The Aces were whistled for 25 fouls. The last time the Aces had that many infractions was against Dallas in 2021.

“We normally don’t foul that much,” Hammon added. “Bottom line is this: If you’re going to have bad nights like that. You can’t combine bad shooting with fouling. Had we just maybe not shot the three well that’s fine but we sent them to the line almost 30 times which is almost a free throw per minute.”

Atlanta made 26 of 29 free throws while Las Vegas went 18 for 20.

Though it was a rough game for the touring Aces, every game is a learning experience.

“These are all good moments for us because we know down the stretch we’re going to have to be able to execute,” Hammon shared.

The journey towards the three-peat continues with some help. On Friday morning, Las Vegas announced it added All-Star veteran Tiffany Hayes, to the roster. Hammon said she plans to get her playing soon.

The Aces are out on the road again to play the Dallas Wings on Wednesday at 8 PM EST.