The Las Vegas Aces scripted history in the opening game of the 2025 playoffs behind A’ja Wilson’s clinical performance. In game two, Skylar Diggins’ game-winner ended the Aces’ unbeaten streak and tied the series and tied the opening series at 1-1. While HC Becky Hammon was not happy with her team’s performance, she had issues with the new format of the playoffs.
Hammon was speaking to the press after the loss against the Seattle team in game two. She pointed out some lapses in the current formats, giving a few examples to support her claim.
Becky Hammon Supports Old Format For Playoffs
After winning 17 games in a row, the Las Vegas Aces finally dropped a game against the seventh-seeded Seattle Storm. HC Becky Hammon already voiced concerns over the playoffs’ new format, even after a win in game one. Now she once again criticized the format and advocates the old format, mentioning that the higher seed teams are actually at a disadvantage in the new format.
She provided an example of the New York Liberty series, where in the 2025 playoffs, and also the Indiana Fever vs Connecticut Sun Series in the 2024 postseason to prove her point.
“I don’t like it. You look at a team like Phoenix, dropping that one, they’re gonna have all the pressure. I mean, unbelievably tough to now have to fly to New York. And New York has a tough one: flying to Phoenix, back to New York, and potentially back to Phoenix. I think this conversation came up last year, when Indiana didn’t get a game, and they were upset. But for me, people just gotta get, you gotta finish better. Either move it to five [games], or it stays in the 2-1 format, because it puts the higher seed at actually a huge disadvantage,” Hammon said in the post-game interview.
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The Fever team lost the series in the first two games, missing out on the eliminator game at home in 2024. The Aces HC added that its tough travel for both teams playing in 1-1-1 format but it is what it is. Luckily, the second-seeded Aces will host the Seattle Storm for game three at the Michelob ULTRA Arena on September 18.
Becky Hammon-Aces Preparing For Elimination Game
Pointing out the mistakes and errors in the second game of the playoff series, the 48-year-old coach mentioned that her team was too soft on the opponents. With a four-point lead, the side lost the game by three points in the final minutes, where A’ja Wilson was uncharacteristically ineffective
“I just think we’ve got to do a better job of getting [Malonga] in movement instead of just those posts. She’s long, she’s athletic. We’ve got to move her a little bit more. I just thought [A’ja] missed some shots and also she got to the free throw line 11 times. We could have been more efficient with her for sure,” Hammon pointed out.
The Seattle Storm lost the opening series against the Aces last season, and could cause a major upset in Las Vegas on Thursday.