LAS VEGAS — The Sky threw everything they had at the Aces Sunday afternoon.
They started the game in man, switched to zone, doubled A’ja Wilson in the post and switched on screens. Interim coach/general manager Emre Vatansever even went to his small lineup that had success in the final games of the regular season. In the end, nothing the Sky attempted worked.
To hang with the reigning champions requires perfection and after giving up nine turnovers in the first half alone, it was clear they weren’t capable of it Sunday afternoon. Their 92-70 loss to the Aces in Game 2 eliminated them from the playoffs and ended a season mired in difficulties.
“You make the best of whatever situation is in front of you,” Kahleah Copper said. “And I think that’s what we did. You can ask me what we can do for next year but a lot has happened in between the beginning of the year and now. So, with what we had, we did the best we could.”
The Sky had to overcome two season-ending injuries to Rebekah Gardner and Isabelle Harrison and a midseason coaching change. All of that followed a free agency period that saw five of the Sky’s star free agents leave.
Still, the Aces are the standard of excellence in the WNBA, and they steamrolled the Sky in back-to-back games. Their two-game sweep by the reigning champions proves just how far the Sky have fallen in a year's time and how much work lies ahead to make up that ground.
“I can say this season was a good foundation because I’m a winner,” Copper said. “And it was about making the playoffs.”
The Sky had too many empty possessions Sunday afternoon to beat an average team in the WNBA, let alone the Aces, who boast the best offense in the league. They had seven steals in the first half alone and finished with 12.
The Aces scored 15 points off of 17 Sky turnovers.
It’s a credit to their defense, which once again overpowered the Sky from the moment the ball was tipped. Their emphasis was again on taking three-time All-Star Kahleah Copper out of her game, which they succeeded at in the first half.
Her first field goal of the game came midway through the second quarter when she drained a three from the top of the key. Copper finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Dana Evans was the Sky’s most efficient player of the night, finishing with 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field in just 22 minutes.
As ugly as Sunday’s game was, the Sky managed to go on a late 19-2 run that put them back within nine of the Aces with six minutes to play in the game. Becky Hammon gathered her team and their response was immediate. They closed the game on a 21-8 run.
Wilson broke the Aces franchise postseason scoring record, previously set by coach Becky Hammon (35), finishing with 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks. Jackie Young added 15 points and Alysha Clark finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
The most immediate answer for the Sky to address is who will lead this franchise through the imminent challenges of once again trying to successfully structure a roster around Copper. Sunday, Vatansever expressed that he wants to be the man for the job.
“Absolutely [I want to return as coach,” Vatansever said. “This is what I worked for my entire life.”
