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The 2022 season for the Las Vegas Aces has been a dream so far, but it should not be a surprise. The team made a big investment in the offseason by bringing franchise legend Becky Hammon back as the new head coach. The former San Antonio Spurs assistant coach is reportedly the first WNBA coach to make more than $1 million on an annual basis. The team also re-signed 2020 MVP A'ja Wilson to a two-year deal.
As of now, those big investments are translating into results on the court. The Aces finished the regular season with a record of 26-10, tied with the defending-champion Chicago Sky. With the team officially clinching the No. 1 seed, a WNBA title should not be just a longshot dream anymore.
With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Las Vegas Aces in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs.
3 bold Aces predictions for the 2022 WNBA Playoffs
3. The first round should be an easy one for the Aces
Last season, the Aces met the Phoenix Mercury in the conference semifinals. After a tough back-and-forth, the Mercury ended up taking the series in five games. However, this year things have been very different.
Phoenix barely made the playoffs, winning one more game than No. 9 and No. 10 seeds Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream, respectively. The team also faced a ton of adversity throughout the season, especially with Brittney Griner's unjust detainment in Russia beginning in February. The Mercury also lost Tina Charles and Skylar Diggins-Smith towards the end of the regular seasons, and questions remain about WNBA legend Diana Taurasi's condition due to a quad injury.
All those factors played a role in the Aces' matchups against the Mercury during the regular season, all three of which where won by Las Vegas.
With Hammon's experience and Wilson's MVP-worthy season, the Aces have a good chance of winning their first-round series, especially with all the problems Phoenix is facing this season. If Las Vegas is able to easily pass through the Mercury, it would also help burnish the players' confidence and afford them some valuable rest before the postseason grind continues.
2. A'ja Wilson will show why she is the MVP
The 2022 season was one of A'ja Wilson's best since entering the league as the No. 1 pick in 2018. The dynamic forward averaged 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 36 games. Wilson also shot efficiently, hitting 50.1% of her field goal attempts, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 81.3% on free throws.
Wilson is currently one of the frontrunners for the Most Valuable Player Award, with her main competition coming from the Seattle Storm's Breanna Stewart. Additionally, Wilson is also a frontrunner to win Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 1.4 steals and a league-best 1.9 blocks per game this season. Should she win both awards in 2022, Wilson would be just the fifth player in league history to do so.
Although those are regular season honors, the former South Carolina Gamecock's elite performance should continue the same, leading the Aces on a long postseason run.
1. The Aces will take home their first WNBA title
The one team accomplishment Hammon missed out on during her playing career was a WNBA title. Now she has another shot at that elusive championship ring, guiding the Aces from the bench.
Las Vegas's main competition for the title, the No. 2 seed Chicago Sky, are coming off a tough August. The Sky went 3-3 this month, which included a head-to-head loss to the Aces in the second-to-last game of the season—key to Las Vegas clinching the top playoff seed over Chicago.
The Aces won the regular series against the Sky 3-1, including the Commissioner's Cup championship game. Hammon's team took home the trophy after defeating Candace Parker and company on the road 93-83. At the very least, Las Vegas has already shown it can compete with the reigning champs.
Although just a first-year head coach, Hammon has plenty of playoff experience as a player and assistant. She led the San Antonio Stars to the WNBA Finals in 2008, and learned under the tutelage of legendary coach Gregg Popovich during five consecutive playoff appearances with the Spurs.
Should Wilson's MVP-level offense and defense show up in a potential finals matchup, the Aces will have a massive advantage. Don't be surprised if combining Wilson on the court and Hammon on the sidelines could be what drives the Aces to their first ever WNBA championship.
