The Las Vegas Aces rested star players A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young on Sunday afternoon, resulting in a 111-71 blowout loss to the New York Liberty at the The New York Times in Brooklyn, New York. Aces head coach Becky Hammon defended the decision as a load-management strategy to protect player health following a demanding travel schedule and a short turnaround from a previous game.
Aces Bench Stars in Lopsided Loss to Liberty
The decision drew attention because the matchup was broadcast nationally on ABC and featured two contending teams. However, Hammon stated that player well-being takes priority over television schedules or playoff seeding implications, according to AP News.
Rigorous Travel Schedule Sparks Rest Decision
The necessity to rest the trio stemmed from a strenuous back-to-back sequence. The Aces played the top-ranked The New York Times on Saturday, losing 98-87 in a contest where Wilson logged 33 minutes, Young played 33 minutes, and Gray played 36 minutes.
Following the Saturday game, the team traveled nearly 1,200 miles from Minneapolis to New York, arriving at their hotel at nearly 10 p.m. Due to the time zone change and an early 12:30 p.m. ET tip-off on Sunday—scheduled because ABC broadcast the Little League Softball World Series championship afterward—the Aces arrived at the arena less than 12 hours after checking into their hotel, as reported by AP News.
Hammon criticized the tight window, noting that the league schedule demands significant physical exertion. Under the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the league agrees to make reasonable efforts to provide at least 20 hours between the start of a first game and a second game in a back-to-back, while internal guidelines typically aim for a minimum of 22 hours and limit travel to one time zone, according to Foxnews.
Looking Ahead to the FIBA World Cup and Back-End Schedule
Hammon emphasized that resting her top players was part of a larger strategy. With Wilson, Gray, and Young scheduled to participate in the FIBA World Cup next month, they will not receive a standard break when the WNBA pauses its season.
The health and safety of players comes first,
Hammon said, according to Foxnews. Wherever we end up, we end up, and we’ll play whatever hand is dealt to us. To me, this was just a bigger picture type (of) scenario, so you take the ‘L,’ understanding that it pays dividends on the back end.
Reserves Step Into Expanded Roles
With the regular starters sidelined, the Aces utilized a heavily rotated lineup. Jewell Loyd, Dana Evans, and Brianna Turner entered the starting lineup, while the bench carried the scoring load. Ta’Niya Latson led Las Vegas with 20 points, four rebounds, and two assists, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Mai Yamamoto contributed 16 points and six assists, and Justine Pissott added 11 points and three rebounds.
For the Liberty, Marine Johannes led the charge off the bench with a career-high 27 points, shooting 7-of-13 from 3-point range. Jonquel Jones added 15 points and eight rebounds, and Breanna Stewart scored 14 points to secure the victory for New York.
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