Aces bounce back after 'butt kicking' in Seattle: Three takeaways from Las Vegas' dominant win over Sparks

Wilson and the Aces spoiled Kelsey Plum's Las Vegas homecoming

LAS VEGAS -- Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum returned to Las Vegas on Friday night for the first time since a three-team trade over the offseason sent her from the desert to the Golden Coast.

Plum took time to embrace her former teammates and the fans were happy to see her back in Las Vegas. Before the game, Plum shared her exchange with Aces forward Jackie Young. 

"I just told her, 'Don't hack me the whole game. Don't hold me the whole game,'" Plum joked. "I've been on their teams for so long. I feel like we know each other so well. So, it's gonna be really a battle of the minds."

A win wasn't in the cards for the Sparks, as they fell to A'ja Wilson and the Aces, 96-81. Here are three takeaways from the game. 

A'ja Wilson is Her

If you thought three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson was slowing down, think again. The South Carolina native led all scorers with 35 points and 10 rebounds, and is now tied with Breanna Stewart for the most 30+ points and 10+ rebound games in league history. Wilson is the first player to also tally three or more blocks and steals while recording a 30-10 double-double. 

Once again, Wilson has willed the Aces back into the win column after what Wilson called a "butt kicking" in Seattle five days ago.

"Sometimes you need that to wake you up to know that you can't just show up," Wilson said after Friday's win. 

Aces coach Becky Hammon agreed the loss in Seattle was a wake-up call. 

"We had to watch a hard film together," Hammon told CBS Sports before Friday's game. "But sometimes you got to sit in your own mess. And so that's what we did.

"I've simplified a few things, but also I think we understand and have a better idea of what it's going to take on a night in and night out basis."

Wilson continues to do the heavy lifting by skill -- and sometimes by luck. Wilson inadvertently caused a Sparks turnover after falling out of her signature A'One shoes. Late in the second quarter, Wilson lost her shoe on an Aces possession. Former teammate and current Los Angeles forward Dearica Hamby collected a defensive rebound and her second dribble hit the unaccompanied shoe. 

"Very bizarre," Hamby said postgame. "I just looked up and then the ball was gone." 

The Sparks were charged a turnover due to a rule stating an empty shoe is effectively considered part of the court. 

"The officials, to their credit, came over and all explained it to me," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts told CBS Sports. "They've never seen anything like it either, but apparently, the rule is ... it's part of the floor, like if it were to bounce off an official's leg or whatever."

Whether through luck or record-breaking performances, the Aces know what they will get from Wilson. Now, the rest of the team needs to find their way to impact the game. 

"There's got to be a lock in factor, there's got to be a play hard factor, and there also has to be a play hard for each other factor," Hammon said.  "The good news is these are all fixable problems that we've kind of created for ourselves. You could look at it either way. The bad news is we beat ourselves. The good news is we beat ourselves."

Come Friday night, the news was good. Jackie Young (26) and Chelsea Gray (17) were in double-digit scoring. Additionally, every Aces starter was plus-20 or better. 

Finding their way through defense

It wasn't the warmest of homecomings for Plum. Although she finished the night with a team-leading 17 points, it was a hard-earned double-digit night. Plum was -20 and committed five turnovers in the Sparks' loss. 

"I mean, if you watch the first quarter, they face guarded me the entire possession," Plum said. "At the end of the day, that's how teams are gonna guard us, I gotta be able to adapt and adjust."

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The tough defensive coverage on Plum was a testament to how Hammon prepared her team in the five days since Sunday's loss to the Seattle Storm. From the hard film sessions to the gritty practice sessions, the Aces were determined to execute Friday.

"We worked on defense all week," Young said with an exhausted chuckle. "We know (Plum) is gonna score because she's a great player, but (we) just wanted to make it difficult for her." 

Hamby and Odyssey Sims were able to fill in offensively until Plum got her groove back. The Sparks were able to cut the deficit to eight points in the fourth quarter, but big offensive rebounds and putbacks from Wilson ultimately secured the Aces' win. 

Sparks are a work in progress

With the loss Friday night, the Sparks fall to 2-5 on the young WNBA season. 

After the game, Plum noted it's been tough for the squad to find a good rhythm due to their condensed schedule out the gate. The teams has played seven games in 15 days, including three road contests. They are one of three teams (Washington, Atlanta) who've played seven games this early in the season. 

"I was frustrated in myself," Plum said. "I didn't have any legs. Then they did a good job defensively, and then I think that they just had a ton of juice (and) they came out to play."

As for Roberts, the fatigue and lack of practice time doesn't help, especially with injuries to Rae Burrell, Cam Brink still recovering from an ACL injury, and Rickea Jackson not currently with the team. Still, Roberts feels her team is nearing a breakthrough. 

"I think we're this close, right?" Roberts said. "I'm not saying we're this close to winning tonight. I'm just saying I feel like our team is really, really close, and it's really hard in this profession, whether you're a player or a coach, to not be outcome driven. And we have got to stay process driven." 

As a new head coach leading a franchise with several new players, including Plum, a lot of learning is constantly happening. Although a lack of execution to the tune of 18 turnovers and 17 second-chance points by the Aces isn't the game plan, Roberts is encouraging her team to continue to put in the work. 

"You just have to stick to the process," Roberts said. "And that is not me being like, 'It's OK.' I'm not OK with losing."

However, until Los Angeles gets some players back and has time to implement its systems in earnest, Roberts will praise the fight in her team that knocked a 24-point lead to single digits.  

"We just gotta keep chopping wood, and eventually the tree falls, and I feel like we're this close," Roberts said.