The Minnesota Lynx hosted the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night at the Target Center. Here, the Aces have a problem, as I see it. It became evident during warm-ups. There was a cockiness that began before the game. The Aces took the floor with a visible attitude that they should win, rather than hitting the court playing to win. This has nothing to do with talent.
Now, not knowing what goes on in the locker room, practice sessions, or team meetings, I can only hazard a guess. These players do not look happy, and not just because they’ve lost four of their last five games. While their passing, for example, has a precision to it, they do not communicate, at least not visibly.
Minnesota, on the other hand, is very much the polar opposite, or at least they have been in the two recent meetings with the Aces. While both teams had their mini-runs in the 87-74 win for Minnesota, which certainly kept it a fairly close game, desperation from Las Vegas got the better of them.
Superstars of the Aces and Lynx Made a Difference
Both A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier led their respective teams in scoring, but Wilson ended the game with a +/- of -21 and Collier with a +23. Wilson scored 24 points and Collier had a double-double with 27 points and 18 rebounds.
Neither team’s bench played significant minutes, other than Tiffany Hayes for the Aces, who ended with 12 points, and Natisha Hiedeman for the Lynx, who scored 12 points. Jackie Young, who in the previous game led with 26 points, was held to 12 points on 3-11, and Kelsey Plum ended with 11. Kayla McBride has still not returned to form so the Lynx will need that from her for the remainder of the season.
ACE’D THE ACES. pic.twitter.com/QQHe7RQQw5
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) August 24, 2024
Bridget Carleton also continues to struggle in the scoring column, but even with this deficit, there is still an attitude of playing to win. The shots will fall again, to be sure. Both teams are going to need more consistency from their benches in the remaining games.
At the moment, the Lynx are the more focused and determined of the two teams. While I won’t go so far as to say that the Aces are in disarray, I will say that after these two games with the Lynx, they are headed that way. Las Vegas has 8 of its remaining 12 games on the road. Minnesota has 7 of its remaining games on the road, so both teams are going to have to factor in the fatigue of travel.
What’s Next For The Aces and Lynx?
With these few games remaining, no one would have predicted that the defending champion Aces would be in this position and that the Minnesota Lynx would be in serious contention for a title. While any team can be vulnerable, when you combine that with a less-than-stellar record (for them) and an obvious lack of focus, I would say that the Aces have the tougher road. Not that Minnesota can skate through the games they have left, but the momentum certainly appears to be in their favor.
Up next for Las Vegas in a trip to Chicago on Sunday, while the Lynx will face the Indiana Fever on Saturday, intent on not repeating their last meeting with the Fever. The Target Center will be packed to the rafters with an abundance of Fever/Iowa/Clark fans. I don’t think that will have the effect that was evident in their previous meeting.
The Fever have gone 4-1 in their previous 5 games, including the win over Minnesota. However, the Lynx looks to have returned to form, and with some offensive corrections, I think we will see a very different game.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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