The Las Vegas Aces got brutally thrashed by the Valkyries once more in Game 2, with their hopes of remaining in the playoffs looking sadder by the minute. Becky Hammon’s team obviously took their game to another level for this matchup, but it was also clear that Natalie Nakase’s girls have also been working on their improvement areas as well.
And now, the Aces need to definitely dip into their mental strength if they hope to make a miraculous comeback. WNBA history already states that no team has been able to come back from a 0-2 record in the playoffs. But, A’ja Wilson and her girls will need to erase this stat from their minds if they want to prove everyone wrong.
The Valkyries have been spreading their energy to every player equally, which means that each and every one of them is able to easily do the others’ job. This was pointed out by Kalani Brown in the post-game presser, where she admitted that it is high-time that the Aces too play like the Valkyries at this point.
“We all gotta box out. It’s not just their post players getting it. It’s their guards too, flying in there. Very scrappy team, and we just gotta be scrappy with them, getting on the floor.” Kalani Brown said.
It is true that Nakase’s girls are a scrappy bunch as Brown put it, making the Valkyries a true menace on the court. At the same time, the Las Vegas Aces have shown incredible improvement when compared to the previous matchup, something which can be expected in Game 3 as well.
Las Vegas Aces Need To Learn A Thing Or Two About Role Identity & Clarity
The Las Vegas Aces are struggling because of how their team/organization is designed at the moment. The Aces are used to each player carrying their load, but this is obviously not the same with Golden State. In order to win, the Aces will need to break down this current structure and do something differently.
Ordinarily, athletes are encouraged to learn about role identity and role clarity as soon as they step into a team. But, role modification and the ability to wear different hats, efficiently, for the sake of winning become even more important in certain scenarios. Hopefully, Wilson and the rest of the Las Vegas franchise is able to win and create history in Game 3 to become the first ever team to make a strong comeback from a 0-2 record.
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