It has only taken two straight losses for the Aces to get fed up with the feeling of defeat.
Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led all scorers with 26 points, guard Chelsea Gray added 21 points, and the Aces, coming off two losses at the end of a grueling road trip, they defeated the Washington Mystics 84-75 on Thursday at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Guard Kelsey Plum said a fan approached her while she was having lunch Wednesday, begging for the Aces to win.
“He told me, ‘I’m fed up,’” Plum explained. “And I told him, ‘You know what, you’re right.'”
Wilson added: “It really looks like we’ve lost 30 in a row.”
The Aces (31-6) fended off a final run by the Mystics (17-19) to clinch the win in front of 8,619 fans. With this victory, coach Becky Hammon remains without losing three straight games since she took over the team last season.
“It’s hard to be good every night,” Hammon said. “It’s hard, and they work hard every night to put on a great show. We are used to seeing his greatness.”
Veteran Aces forward Alysha Clark also had a comeback game, scoring 11 points off the bench and making two 3-pointers to finish with a positive 14 in 28 minutes.
Two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne scored 17 points to lead the Mystics. Washington made only 10 field goals in the first half, but briefly rallied from a one-point lead in the third quarter before the Aces pulled away for good.
The Aces will host the Seattle Storm on Saturday at 6 pm.
Here are three takeaways from the match:
1. Double-double Plum
A first-team All-WNBA player, Plum finished the first half with one point and no field goal attempts, but had a positive 14 during 18 minutes of play. Plum didn’t take her first shot until 6:31 of the third quarter.
Plum didn’t have her best scoring performance against the Mystics, but she found a way to make an impact. He had 12 points and 10 assists, his best mark of the season. He made two of 3 on 3-pointers and added three rebounds and a steal in 38 minutes.
“For me, I’m better than I’ve been in the last seven or eight games,” Plum said. “We’ve had some slip-ups, and I feel like a lot of that is on me because I have to play the right way.”
2. Colson sneaks into the rotation
For most of the past two seasons, veteran guard Sydney Colson’s value has been mostly intangible.
Colson has recently brought some value on the court as well. He scored six points in eight minutes against the New York Liberty on Monday after Plum had foul trouble, and Hammon praised Colson for his play.
Against the Mystics, he came into play very early, with four points and two steals in the first half. Hammon said Colson brings a veteran mentality and good pressure on the ball as the Aces try to continue to get minutes from their reserves.
“He made fun things happen on the court,” Hammon said.
3. Parker makes an appearance
Candace Parker was at Thursday’s game, wearing a full boot as she continues to rehab surgery on her fractured left foot. The two-time MVP hasn’t traveled with the team recently, though Hammon said she continues to speak regularly with Parker about tactics and other basketball minutiae.
Hammon did not have any major updates or a timeline for Parker’s potential return, as he is still using “an assisted walking device.”
“We certainly miss her,” Hammon said, “and her professional approach.”
2023-09-01 20:45:57
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