Hill: Hammon’s patience pays off with Aces peaking for WNBA playoffs
Summary
Adam Hill profiles Becky Hammon’s Las Vegas Aces as they enter the WNBA playoffs on a torrid run. After a rocky midseason — including a 53-point home loss that left the team 14-14 — Hammon’s roster tinkering, role changes and defensive refocus have produced a 16-game winning streak and a return to top form.
The Aces closed the regular season with a record-setting 22 made 3-pointers and superb ball movement (35 assists on 38 made field goals), signalling an offence that finally matches their improved defence. Key moves, such as moving Jewell Loyd to the bench and acquiring NaLyssa Smith to complement A’ja Wilson, helped the team find chemistry and balance just in time for the postseason.
Key Points
- Becky Hammon says the team was operating below its potential earlier but is now peaking as the playoffs begin.
- The Aces went from 14-14 to a 16-game win streak to close the season, showcasing a major turnaround.
- Las Vegas made a WNBA regular-season record 22 3-pointers in the finale and displayed excellent ball movement (35 assists).
- Defensive improvements powered the midseason resurgence and paired with an increasingly flowing offence.
- Roster tweaks — Jewell Loyd to the bench, trade for NaLyssa Smith — allowed A’ja Wilson to thrive and the team to build chemistry.
- The Aces enter the playoffs as a major threat, playing their best basketball at the right time.
Content summary
Hill walks readers through the Aces’ season arc: early doubts after heavy defeats, strategic roster changes and experimentation, then the gradual chemistry-building that culminated in a dominant finish. The Sparks game — 22 made threes and 35 assists — is used as a demonstration of how the offence is clicking, not merely getting hot from long range. Hammon’s patience and belief in the redesigned squad are credited with turning the team into a cohesive unit capable of another title run.
Context and relevance
This piece matters if you follow the WNBA or the Aces: it explains how a championship-calibre team addressed midseason adversity and why they’re now a genuine favourite. It ties into broader trends in pro basketball — the value of role definition, ball movement and two-way balance — and highlights coaching adjustments that can swing playoff outcomes. For bettors, fans and analysts, the timing and form of the Aces make them one of the most important storylines heading into the postseason.
Author style
Punchy. Adam Hill keeps it direct: he recognises the drama of the midseason collapse but focuses on the arc of recovery and the tactical shifts that matter. The column amplifies the significance of Hammon’s moves — this isn’t just a streak, it’s a coach’s plan coming together — so readers get both narrative and analysis without fluff.
Why should I read this?
Because you want the short version that actually tells you why the Aces suddenly look scary: Hammon trusted changes, the bench and supporting players stepped up, and the offence finally matches the defence. If you care about who’s likely to win the WNBA title or want quick insight before a playoff matchup, this saves you time and gets straight to the point.