“It isn’t personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.” – Michael Corleone, The Godfather. I think that the idea of revenge in sports is something that is conjured by the fans and the media, not by the teams. Revenge is never as satisfying as one hopes it will be. The Minnesota Lynx came to Las Vegas to win, to get closer to the Commissioner’s Cup final, and to further establish themselves as a legitimate title contender. Las Vegas looked to put a stop to a losing streak. The Lynx attained their goal; the Aces did not. Strictly business.
Make no mistake – the Las Vegas Aces are still a formidable team. They are traversing a difficult road at the moment. They also faced a much improved Minnesota Lynx, whose stifling defense and lethal three-point shooting have given them some well-deserved accolades. Looking at the stats, you can see clearly what the Lynx accomplished and where the Aces fell short. Turnovers, which have been a real issue for the Lynx, were way down, coming in at 9 and conceding only 11 points off of them.
The Aces committed 14, from which the Lynx scored 21. A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 28 points, Kelsey Plum added 13, Megan Gustafson 11, and Tiffany Hayes 10. Jackie Young, who only played 22 minutes, was held to 6 points. The Aces shot 45.2%, which under other circumstances would be enough to win. The Lynx shot 55.2% and assisted on 34 of 37 field goals. There were another fifteen 3s for the Lynx. Every starter scored a three, with Dorka Juhász adding one off the bench.
Minnesota Lynx and its Contributions Versus The Las Vegas Aces
Alanna Smith scored a team-high 18 points, and her contributions to this team cannot be overstated. Kayla McBride had a relatively quiet night from three, adding a pair. Napheesa Collier, who got in early foul trouble and only played a total of 28 minutes, still made double digits, including a pair of threes. But the award went to Bridget Carleton, who shot 5-7 from three.
the house doesn’t ALWAYS win. pic.twitter.com/aIG3cH2qvQ
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) June 12, 2024
Carleton’s game has taken a quantum leap this season, and with the absence of Diamond Miller, she has filled a starting role admirably. Natisha Hiedeman, Juhász, and Cecilia Zandalasini played double-digit minutes, and while it was an off night for Ceci, she still contributed with three assists. The impact of Hiedeman and Juhász was evident, with each scoring, assisting, and allowing the starters a break without missing a step.
The Defending WNBA Champions Struggled Against the Lynx
The Las Vegas Aces struggled. Wilson cannot carry the team by herself. One could speculate on the difference having Chelsea Gray would make, but she’s not. Every team at some point finds itself in that situation. I don’t think that the Aces use that as an excuse, not at all. The Aces were simply faced with a defense and an offense from Minnesota that they did not see in their first meeting. Not being a coach or an analyst, I cannot describe what I think is wrong with the Aces.
As defending champions, they have a target on their back. There is also far more parity in the league this season, even among the teams that have significantly struggled. But Washington won for the first time last night, Seattle has fought their way back from a poor start, and the Lynx came into this season with a new look, a much-improved defense and offense, and a chemistry that has clicked from Day 1.
The Aces simply have work to do, and quite a bit, if they want to get back to winning ways. Are they out of the race? Not at all, at least, not yet. With this current losing streak, will other teams think that they can waltz in and beat them? That would be a fool’s dream. The Lynx have as much work to do as Las Vegas, with Minnesota seeking to maintain their current excellent performance, and the Aces looking to improve.
Regardless, this was an exciting game, providing an excellent example of the talent in the league. Perhaps the media, in their never-ending search for blood in the water, will pay more attention to that than to filling their columns with unnecessary and often negative drama. But Don Henley was right, give ’em dirty laundry.
What’s Next for Las Vegas and Minnesota?
Up next for Las Vegas is Phoenix, who beat them in their last meeting. Of course, Lynx fans will be pulling for the Aces, as a win will give Minnesota the lead in the Commissioner’s Cup race in the West. The Lynx will next meet the Los Angeles Sparks for the beginning of a four-game home stand at Target Center. The Sparks are beginning to come together, and it should be a good match.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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