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Aces Rest Three Stars, Suffer 40-Point Loss to Liberty

Becky Hammon said she rested A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young to protect player health and criticized the WNBA’s tight back-to-back timing.

Overview

  • Las Vegas listed Wilson, Gray and Young as out for rest on the official injury report and those three did not play in the 111-71 loss at the New York Liberty.
  • The Liberty used New York’s size and second-chance chances to dominate the game, outrebounding Las Vegas 45-24 and scoring 52 points in the paint.
  • Marine Johannès led New York off the bench with a career-tying 27 points and the Liberty reserves combined for a large scoring lift that widened the margin.
  • Hammon defended the decision as load management after a grueling road trip and less than 24 hours between games, framing it as a choice to prioritize long-term player health.
  • The episode highlights growing friction over the WNBA’s expanded schedule and CBA guidance on back-to-back spacing and could influence how teams use rest ahead of the playoffs.