LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Aces (22-13) are hoping to catch fire down the stretch en route to a three-peat as WNBA champions.
While the organization cherished memories made in their magical postseason runs, they're leaving it in the past.
“We’re so past that," guard Kelsey Plum told the media after Sunday's game at the New York Liberty. "We’ve moved on from last year. Different year, different team. We’re not living in the past.”
With star center A'ja Wilson sitting due to an ankle injury, the Aces had a four-game win streak snapped Sunday in a 75-71 loss to New York Liberty. Las Vegas rallied back from a 20-point deficit to take a 1-point lead late in the fourth quarter but fell short in the final minute.
The resilient Aces don't take much positive away from their fiery comeback, being swept by the Liberty in their three championship rematches this regular season.
“We’re professional athletes," Plum said. "There’s no moral victories here. We had multiple opportunities to win it.”
“For us, whether we’re up 20, down 20, our goal is to make sure we’re continuing to keep our foot on the gas and play Aces basketball the right way," forward Alysha Clark said.
Aces head coach Becky Hammond has said that Wilson's ankle injury is not believed to be long-term and that the WNBA superstar can return to the court as early as Wednesday's road test at the Indiana Fever.
“Obviously we missed A’ja’s rim protection a lot," Hammond said. "We always come prepared for a war. Ten free throws in a game like that, where it’s physical, and there’s stuff on the line, that’s two free throws a quarter. That’s not right.”
The Aces have back-to-back games at Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever on Wednesday and Friday before returning home to host the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.
The world champs aren't counting out seeing the 29-6 Liberty again down the road in the finals. If so, the Aces hope history can repeat itself.
“I think everyone knows these two teams are not particularly fond of each other," Hammond said. "I know we got a lot of respect for them, they got a lot of respect for us, we’re battling the same thing.”
