Becky's History Lesson: Aces Spoil the Valkyries' Defensive Masterclass 🎰🔥
Becky's History Lesson: Aces Spoil the Valkyries' Defensive Masterclass 🎰🔥
If you thought the expansion Golden State Valkyries were going to casually slide into the WNBA elite without paying their taxes to the defending champions, think again. The Las Vegas Aces just went into San Francisco and reminded everyone who owns the throne, walking away with a statement 91-81 win on Sunday.
Not only was it a battle of two 5-3 squads, but it also served as a historic milestone for the mastermind on the sidelines.
With the victory, Aces head coach Becky Hammon officially notched the 150th win of her coaching career. And she didn't just get there; she practically sprinted. Hammon reached the milestone in just 205 games, making her the second-fastest coach in WNBA history to hit 150 wins—sitting a mere seven games behind Van Chancellor's legendary record with the Houston Comets.
The M'V'P Doing M'V'P Things
Look, you can draw up whatever defensive scheme you want, but you can’t scheme against a literal cheat code. A'ja Wilson was an absolute nightmare for Golden State, dropping a monster stat line of 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
When the Valkyries tried to collapse on Wilson, Jackie Young made them pay from the parking lot. Young was clinical, pouring in 23 points, cooking the defense for 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, and flirting with a double-double by dishing out 9 assists. NaLyssa Smith chipped in a solid 15 points and 9 boards to keep the frontcourt physical.
The Third-Quarter Meltdown
The Valkyries actually entered the afternoon boasting a league-best defense that allowed a stingy, WNBA-low 78 points per game. Then they ran into the Aces' buzzsaw. Vegas hung a season-high 91 points on them, completely breaking the game open right after halftime.
QuarterLas Vegas AcesGolden State Valkyries1st Half43413rd Quarter2913Entering 4th7254
Vegas choked out the Valkyries in that third frame. Golden State looked completely lost, shooting a horrific 3-of-17 (18%) from the floor and throwing the ball away five times. Wilson and Young outscored the entire Valkyries roster by themselves in the period, combining for 24 points to push the lead to 18.
Carnage and a Late Push
Golden State didn't completely roll over. Gabby Williams carried the offense with 20 points, sparking a late 11-0 run in the fourth to trim the deficit. Janelle Salaun hit a clutch three-pointer to get the Valkyries within eight points with under a minute left, but the mountain was simply too high to climb.
Worse than the loss, Golden State’s locker room is suddenly looking like a triage unit:
Veronica Burton: The team's leading scorer (15.9 PPG) limped to the bench with three and a half minutes left, visibly clutching her left thigh in serious pain.
Chennedy Carter: Took multiple brutal falls in the first half, moved incredibly slowly to the locker room at intermission, and played just one single minute in the third quarter before being shut down for the day.
No official word yet on how long either will be out, but for an expansion team trying to stay hot, that is a massive blow to their depth.
The Aces look like they’ve officially found their championship stride as they head to Los Angeles on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Valkyries have to lick their wounds fast before hosting Portland. Welcome to the deep end of the WNBA, folks.
