“All I can say is, let’s three-peat,” said Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis before the 2024 WNBA season began. As A’ja Wilson & Co. showed off their championship rings, each adorned with 34 diamonds to commemorate their 34 regular season wins, their motto “Aces vs. Everybody” sent chills down everybody’s spines. But the team they beat in the 2023 Finals lives by another phrase – ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’. Unfortunately, for Aces head coach Becky Hammon, the New York Liberty’s standout performance in Game 2 made frustrations reach a tipping point.

Led by Sabrina Ionescu’s 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, the Liberty beat the 2x defending champs in the closing stages at the Barclays Center 88-84. The Aces’ defense was lackluster as they conceded 16 layups and 44 points in the paint. Kelsey Plum, who averaged 17.8 points in the regular season and scored a team-high 24 points in Game 1, uncharacteristically floundered with only 6 points in 27 minutes, shooting 2-of-9 from the field.

As a result, Becky Hammon was seen aggressively shouting at her during a timeout. In another clip circulating on X, the 47-year-old looks highly animated as she unloads all her frustration during a team huddle, with her neck veins seemingly on the verge of explosion. Though Hammon has had many instances of arguing with the refs and getting techs for the same, this level of rage might be a first.

Post-game, she addressed the fiery timeout, explaining, “I called a timeout because I was frustrated-frustrated with us. It wasn’t the refs, it wasn’t the Liberty. It was about how we were playing. We know we’re better than that.”

Hammon doubled down on the contrast in team performance, adding, “They’re (Liberty) doing what they need to do to win basketball games, but we’re not doing what we need to do to win basketball games. Not at a high enough level. It’s not good enough. It was Aces versus Aces tonight. We were beating ourselves.” Though she was vocally critical of her team’s performance, her inner competitor was only coming alive.

Becky Hammon promises a “war” against the Liberty as Aces aim to rewrite history

In her unfiltered press conference, Hammon also called out her players for being “freaking celebrities” in a league where everyone is “pissed off” and working tirelessly for a championship. Though A’ja Wilson is still as consistent as ever, the performance around her keeps changing. Acknowledging and criticizing the same was her first step. But if they want to achieve that historic 3-peat, action is the name of the game.

However, no team in WNBA history has come back from a 2-0 deficit in playoffs to win the series. But does that mean the Aces are done for? In Hammon’s eyes, they have everything to play for Game 3 onwards. “We have neither lost or won a championship. Nothing has been won tonight,” she said, emphasizing, “Let there be no doubt, we’re in for a war.”

The team’s most experienced player, Chelsea Gray, had the same attitude. Addressing the 2-0 deficit stat, the 3x WNBA champ said, “I love being in the history books, so might as well try to start there. That’s going to be our mentality.” 

Game 3 of this semi-final series will change the odds a bit. The Aces will be on home turf in the Michelob Ultra Arena, and the Liberty will have thousands against them. It is during such away games that a team’s ability to sustain momentum is tested. Will the New York Liberty avenge their 2023 Finals loss? Will the defending champs show why they have that title? A lot of questions will be answered when Vegas further lights up for this matchup on Friday night.