Reigning Champs Got Torched 99-66 and Becky Hammon Isn't Mincing Words About It

The Las Vegas Aces came into 2026 as defending WNBA champions. They left their opener looking anything but. A 99-66 blowout loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday exposed some serious problems that need fixing before they face the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.

This wasn't just a bad game. This was the kind of loss that makes a coach question everything. "I don't think we're in good enough shape to play at the level that we need to," Aces coach Becky Hammon said after getting absolutely demolished. She was direct about the issue: "The defense, it looks like we haven't worked on it. We've been doing it an hour-and-a-half every day in practice."

Defense Fell Apart Early

Las Vegas surrendered massive runs in the second and third quarters, and the stats tell the story. The Aces gave up 11-of-24 3-pointers, which is brutal considering they were among the WNBA's best at defending the three-ball last season, holding opponents to just 31.6%. That's a massive drop-off.

Hammon nailed the real problem: execution. "The little details that we talk about that are separation factors, we're not doing them. And until we decide we want to do them, we'll continue to get our butt kicked like this."

Offense Couldn't Step Up Either

A'ja Wilson, the four-time league MVP, managed just 19 points. Jackie Young chipped in 12. When your best player is that quiet and you're getting blown out, something is seriously wrong. The Aces need consistent offense to go along with everything else they're trying to fix.

The good news? They're about to face a Los Angeles team with one of the worst defenses in the league last season. The Sparks allowed 88.2 points per game in 2025 and gave up a league-high 10.1 three-pointers a game. But Los Angeles just added some serious talent. Former Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike, who averaged 18.3 points and seven rebounds last season, is now in a Sparks uniform. They also have Dearica Hamby, another ex-Aces piece, who put up 18.4 points and 7.9 rebounds in 2025. Plus, they've got Cameron Brink, the No. 2 pick in 2024, as a defensive wildcard.

Sunday's matchup is already looking like it could go either way. The defending champs need to prove Saturday was just a bad night. The Sparks want to show their new roster construction actually works. First game of the season or not, this one matters.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.