Becky Hammon did not hold back after her Las Vegas Aces got completely shut down in a 71-60 Game 1 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday. Her exact words? Her team “played like a–.” That’s the kind of blunt honesty you get when your championship-pedigree squad looks like they forgot how to play ball in the WNBA semifinals.
Vegas Is Staring Down a Depth Disaster
You think losing by 11 points isn’t a big deal in a best-of-five series? Hammon even said, “We played like a– and only lost by 10.” But don’t let that fool you. The Aces’ 60 points were their fewest in over a year, and the Valkyries looked absolutely locked in, rolling to that win at Chase Center. What really got exposed was Vegas’s lack of depth, and it’s looking like a major problem. They’re already without NaLyssa Smith due to a season-ending knee injury, which stripped their bench of crucial size and scoring. Then starting forward Stephanie Talbot is still out with a leg injury, and to make matters worse, Jewell Loyd went down with an injury in Game 1. Talk about a bad break, or three!
Valkyries Are Eating the Aces Alive on the Glass
Golden State didn’t just win, they dominated where it matters most: the boards. The Valkyries crushed the Aces, outrebounding them 52-25. And get this: a monstrous 17-2 offensive rebounding margin. You can’t win like that! Golden State’s deep bench is clearly paying off too. While Sixth Player of the Year Janelle Salaun only chipped in two points in six minutes, Kaitlyn Chen dropped 11 points, accounting for a huge chunk of the Valkyries’ 27 bench points. That kind of balanced attack is brutal to defend.
Even A’ja Wilson, their absolute star, struggled big-time. She put up a team-high 24 points, sure, but it took her a whopping 21 shots to get there. That’s not efficient. And for the first time since May, Wilson only pulled down four rebounds in a game. Her 38.1 shooting percentage? That was her third-worst mark of the entire 2026 season. We all know when the Aces’ star trio of Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray is clicking, they’re unbeatable in a long series. But the Valkyries’ depth and intense defense are creating serious matchup problems that aren’t gonna get easier. Plus, Golden State’s home advantage, arguably the best in the WNBA after just two seasons, means a deciding Game 5 would be played in their building. The Aces are in deep trouble here, and it looks like even A’ja Wilson might not be able to dig them out of this hole.
Next up, the Aces need to figure out how to stop the Valkyries’ relentless attack and get some production beyond their injured lineup. This best-of-five series is just getting started, but Game 1 set a wild tone. Can Vegas bounce back, or will the Valkyries prove they’re the real deal?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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