Aces chase another title as Becky Hammon warns: 'We're not a finished product'

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Talent has never been a question regarding the Aces as they have built the WNBA's newest dynasty, but that alone doesn't explain their success.

Las Vegas has won three of the past four titles by also showing a mental toughness to overcome adversity, some of it the Aces' own making and some foisted on them by events.

And now the Aces find themselves in the familiar position of being one of the favorites to win the title, but face a number of challenges that could prevent them from making more history when the playoffs begin Sunday.

“I'm always concerned about something,” coach Becky Hammon said. “You're never comfortable. So I'm still pushing. I'm still demanding certain things to get done out there on the floor. Still encouraging, applauding certain things we've done. But we always have areas where we can get better and want to be sharper. We're just not a finished product, nor do we want to be. We're still working our way there.”

The Aces, with a game left in the regular season, have clinched home-court advantage through the first round of the playoffs by securing at least the third seed. They would move up to the second seed with a victory at Phoenix on Thursday and a Golden State loss to Los Angeles, which also would get the Aces home court through at least two rounds.

It would be easy to look at Las Vegas' success and think it has all come easy, especially with four-time MVP A'ja Wilson leading the way.

And that was largely true when the Aces captured their first championship in 2022. The Aces tied Chicago for the best record in the regular season and then went 8-2 in the playoffs and didn't face an elimination game.

But their title the following year came after six-time All-Star point guard Chelsea Gray and post player Kiah Stokes suffered foot injuries in the WNBA Finals against New York. The Aces somehow survived those losses to beat the Liberty by a point to go back-to-back as well as avoid a winner-take-all Game 5.

Their most difficult challenge came during last season's title run when the Aces didn't look anything like a championship team in losing at home by 53 points to Minnesota to fall to 14-14. They quickly regrouped and then won their final 16 regular-season games, but in the playoffs had to overcome Indiana in overtime of the deciding Game 5 to even make the Finals.

And now the Aces are playing in the shadow of the Lynx, the No. 1 seed and substantial consensus favorites to win the championship. Las Vegas has the second-best odds on the betting boards, riding a six-game winning streak against opponents that did not qualify for the playoffs. The Aces' record this season against teams that make up the postseason field is a pedestrian 11-10.

“I think we made some improvements on both ends of the floor,” Gray said. “I think there's moments where we can get better and get more consistent, but it's go time, so everybody's going to be locked in. We've been locked in about it, but it goes up another level.”