Aces open season with WNBA Finals rematch against Seattle
More than seven months have passed since the Aces were swept by the Seattle Storm in the WNBA Finals.
Finally, time to run it back.
The Aces open their season Saturday with the first of two consecutive games against the Storm in Seattle, giving them their first litmus test in a season that’ll surely include plenty.
More than half of the Las Vegas players who competed in the Finals against the WNBA champion Storm are gone, and reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson isn’t exactly sure what to expect in the first meeting.
“We’re all just so ready to get out there and play, that we’re just gonna go with the flow,” Wilson said. “It’s not going to be clean-cut basketball on the Aces side. We’re still trying to figure out how we all work in this system. But at the end of the day, I think we have enough talent, we have enough people who are good at what they do.”
The Aces concluded training camp earlier this week and traveled on Thursday to Seattle, where the defending WNBA champions reside. The Storm play a perimeter-oriented style built around the generational skills of reigning Finals MVP Breanna Stewart, a do-it-all forward who can score from any spot on the floor.
Las Vegas prefers to play through Wilson and All-Star center Liz Cambage, two dominant frontcourt players who demand considerable defensive attention near the basket. The contrasting styles make for what Aces coach Bill Laimbeer figures to be an “entertaining game.”
The Aces led the WNBA in pace last season (82.57 possessions per 40 minutes), and Laimbeer believes the Storm are going to play fast as well.
“It’s going to be up and down. It’s going to be a high scoring game,” Laimbeer said.
Laimbeer also said that veteran guard Riquna Willliams is going to replace injured star Angel McCoughtry in the starting lineup. Williams shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range in the last two seasons, and her shooting should help space the floor for Wilson and Cambage.
Combo guard Kelsey Plum is coming off the bench, Laimbeer said, giving her more freedom and control of the second unit.
Wilson and Laimbeer both emphasized ball security Friday, noting that the Aces must take care of the ball and limit Seattle’s offensive possessions. They made 27 turnovers last weekend in their final preseason scrimmage against the Los Angeles Sparks.
An unacceptable number in Laimbeer’s mind.
The coach said he knows the team’s chemistry is going to be a work in progress, especially with all the new players. Wilson doesn’t seem to be too worried about it.
“At this point, I’m like ‘Let’s just play,’ Wilson said. “Throw the ball up. Let’s see how it goes.”
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.